Family and friends hopeful of finding missing travellers

FAMILY, friends and colleagues of three young Irish people, Sandra Mahon, Stuart Gamble and Neil Hewson, who were declared missing in Australia were yesterday hopeful of their turning up safe.

They remained distressed, however, at the lack of word from the group. "He is very protective of her," said Ms Ashley Singleton, referring to Mr Gamble's relationship with Ms Mahon. Ms Singleton worked with Mr Gamble at a Dublin restaurant. "He didn't really want Sandra to go in the first place so I'd say he's really upset."

Ashley's sister, Victoria, is also in Australia and had met the three. "She's in Darwin at the moment and kept in touch with them. She called home on Sunday. She didn't know anything about it then ... My mother is in bits for Sandra's family," Ms Singleton said.

Neil's father, Brian, is hopeful the three, friends since their days at High School in Rathgar, Dublin, would turn up safely.

"There could be a very rational explanation," he said. "Obviously I was very concerned on Saturday when the alarm was raised, but it could be just that they've gone off for a few days and have forgotten to get in touch...

"I had a postcard from Neil on the 13th and I wouldn't expect to hear from him for another few days . . . I'm still very optimistic and there's no point thinking the worst until we have more to go on."

According to Mr Hewson the group had worked initially in Sydney and then moved on to Queensland.

They bought the camper van and planned to live in it for the nine months. "They were picking peppers on a farm in southern Queensland, to earn money before travelling north ... They did a scuba diving course on the Great Barrier Reef and were planning to meet up with some Dutch travellers they had met on the farm, in Townsville this Friday."

His son, Neil, is to celebrate his 26th birthday on Saturday.

"If I didn't hear anything by next week I suppose I'd be worried, but Neil is very sensible. He's well able to look after himself," he said.

Mr Alan Shaw, a contemporary of the three from High School, told The Irish Times: "Stuart and Sandra have been going out with each other for about four years now. They are really close."

Ms Mahon's employer, Mr Denis Crowley at Fexco's Stockbrokers, said that ..... through Sandra, Neil and Stuart had become good friends of everyone here... She gets on easily with people and has kept in touch constantly with her friends here since she has been away.

"All at Fexco's are praying for her family, though we are all also looking forward to having her back at work in January."