[Updated] Scottish Botanist Missing in Sapa's Mountains

[Update Below] On October 30, Scottish Botanist, Jamie Taggart left his Sapa hotel to explore some nearby hills. After failing to show up on his schedule flight back home nearly a month later, his father reported him missing. So far, no clues have been found to help determine his whereabouts.

After being reported missing to local police and the British embassy in Hanoi, searches have been carried out for the missing 41 year old.  

Taggart’s backpack and passport were found in his room and hotel workers informed investigators that he hadn’t been seen since November 2.

Hailing from the village of Cove in Argyll and Bute, Taggart traveled to Vietnam to study its rich flora.

Even with no evidence of foul play, his father isn’t totally convinced his son’s disappearance was an accident:

"Something has happened to him, but not necessarily an accident on a hill."

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said that they are assisting in the investigation:

"We are in close contact with the local authorities and are providing consular assistance to their family at this difficult time."

Taggart ran Linn Botanic Gardens which was added to Historic Scotland's Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes earlier this year.

Hopefully he turns up soon.

[BBC // Image via Khanh Hmoong]

Update 16/12: After a failed initial search, authorities are stepping up efforts to find the missing Scotsman which have been hampered by poor weather conditions and injuries to volunteers.

Phil Hoolihan, of Ethos Travel in Sapa, a British ex-pat leading the efforts, met with national park authorities yesterday to get permission for a more extensive search covering 3 routes:

“The plan is to search three routes that he may have taken - from Tram Ton to Cong Troi (Heaven Gate), Lai Chau and Khoang Village, which will take four to five days.”

A fund has been set up to cover the costs of the search that is expected to cost between VND40 – 60 million and involve “20 to 25 local men, forest rangers and volunteers.”

[Herald Scotland]