Search for missing hiker Easter Ross hiker Finn Creaney remains open, say police, as father admits he fears the worst
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THE search for a missing Easter Ross bushcraft expert remains open despite his devastated dad admitting he “fears the worst” after his son’s rucksack was found close to a loch.
Finn Creaney was last seen around 2.15pm on Friday, March 25, 2022 at Altnaharra in Sutherland on the B873 near Loch Naver.
The experienced bushcraft enthusiast, of Pitcalnie, near Tain, was said by his wife to be the happiest he had ever been at the time of his disappearance.
His dad Mark has been searching ever since and well-wishers have maintained a map of areas checked and re-checked since he was posted missing.
In an update posted online, Mr Creaney said: “As you know Finn went missing 18 months ago on his hike from Loch Naver to Golspie and despite searching the hills for all that time we found no clues to him being there.
“That was up to two weeks ago when a couple of deerstalkers on their way to work at Altnaharra came across Finn’s rucksack at the side of Loch Naver and after a close inspection of the rucksack and its belongings and a few other items that we can’t really get into, we now believe that Finn attempted to swim the loch in order to cut his journey time somewhat to the coast.
“Finn is a really strong swimmer and a good wild swimmer but for some reasons that we don’t know about we fear that he may not have made the swim.
“Police divers have been down last week and they searched the area where the rucksack was found and his possible start point and they came up with nothing.
“All this is just a real blow to Finn’s family and everyone who cares about Finn. Everybody loves him. And unfortunately we fear the worst.”
He adds: “I will keep you updated as things go along. As always we are determined to bring our boy home to us. We need him home. Thank you for all your support and hopefully we will get through these times.”
Police Scotland Inspector Chris Murray said at the time: “I would thank the public who have already been in touch and also encourage anyone who thinks they may have seen something, or has any information they feel relevant to make contact with us on 101, quoting reference number 0912 of March 28, 2022.”
A police spokesman this week told the Journal: “A report was received of personal items which were found near to Loch Naver in Sutherland on Thursday, September 29.
“Local and specialist officers carried out further searches in the area, however Finn Creaney, who was last seen in the area in March 2022, remains missing at this time and enquiries will remain ongoing to trace him.
“His family has been informed.”
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The case was highlighted in a new television series fronted by Dan Walker called Vanished: The Hunt for Britain’s Missing People.
In a heartfelt interview at her Easter Ross home, his wife Lucy (28) said: “I miss everything about Finn all the time.
“The adventures, the laughs. His whole being and aura. We’re a family, you know, we’re a unit all together. I still have that hope and belief that he will come through that door one day.”
Dan Walker told viewers: “Happily married to Lucy, they have a beautiful daughter, Luna, and when he went missing they had another child on the way.
“It’s exactly a year since Finn went for a hike in the mountains and never came back. We don’t know what has happened to him. No one does. What makes this more baffling is that Finn was an experienced hiker. He used to film himself quite a bit, a survival expert he knew the mountains well. Since he has been missing Lucy has had their second baby, a little boy called Bran.”
She told the show: “Prior to him going missing we found out we were having a baby boy which was a dream come true for him. The last time I saw him was on the 25th of March at this house. We all had a lovely family hug together and then off he went. ‘I’ll see you on Sunday.’ It was just, you know, normal.”
