An urgent appeal has been launched by the family of a Belfast dad who was reported missing after failing to make his flight home from Spain.
John Hardy, 37, was due to board a flight home from Benidorm to Belfast to spend Christmas with his two sons, aged 13 and six, on Wednesday, December 18.
Staying at a friend’s house in Alicante, Mr Hardy travelled to meet some more of his peers in Benidorm. However, his family have not heard from him since.
A GoFundMe has been launched by his family to raise funds to get his family and friends to help with the search in Spain, with his sister Courtney George calling the situation ‘exceptionally difficult’.
‘Hi, this is a message from the family of John. We understand this time of the year can be difficult for everyone. Unfortunately, this year is exceptionally difficult for our family and friends and we need your support in getting John home.
‘This GoFundMe has been organised to raise enough money to get family and friends over, in attempt to locate and return John back home. Any donation no how matter how small is an amazing contribution. Please support us in getting him home, thank you,’ she wrote.
Seeking to raise £13,000 (€15,700), the fundraiser has raised over £11,000 (€13,300) at the time of writing.
‘I have to have Christmas for my own kids but I would happily set my tree on fire and run away from this nightmare. We’ve lost a family member recently and he was really upset and thought he needed a holiday.
‘His youngest is very confused and the 13-year-old has seen everything on social media and is very distressed. They love their daddy. All they want for Christmas is their dad to come home.
‘I haven’t eaten in five days and have been physically sick because it’s been nine days without contact. My brother would never go two days without speaking to me. He was meant to be coming to my house for Christmas dinner and we had our plans made,’ Mr Hardy’s sister told Belfast Live.
The PSNI said in a statement that they received a report that ‘a 37-year-old man from Belfast, holidaying in Spain was believed to be missing’ and that ‘enquiries are ongoing in conjunction’ with their international policing partners.