Source: Radio New Zealand
Justin Evans, 24, is missing from Papa Stronsay in Scotland. Supplied / Scotland Police
The Diocese of Aberdeen believes the New Zealand monk who is missing on a remote Scottish island is dead.
Police Scotland are appealing for information about Justin Evans who went missing shortly before midnight from Papa Stronsay, Orkney on 11 April.
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Papa Stronsay is home to a handful of monks of the Catholic order Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Evans – a 24-year-old orginally from Christchurch – was last seen within the Golgotha Monastery, where he had lived for about two years.
He was described by Police Scotland as being six-foot-tall with short hair and a dark beard. He spoke with a New Zealand accent and was last seen wearing a white robe, police said.
A police spokesperson told RNZ on Wednesday evening the search for Evans was ongoing and continued overnight (NZT).
However, the Diocese of Aberdeen in Scotland, put out a statement saying the search for Evans, who they called Brother Ignatius, had been called off.
“The Diocese has learned with deep sadness of the disappearance and presumed death of Justin Evans, also know as Brother Ignatius, aged 24, a member of the Redemptorist community on the island of Papa Stronsay.
“It is believed he came to harm in conditions involving the sea,” the statement said.
It said local police and coastguard services had now called off searches.
“Brother Ignatius was known for his humility and charity, and our prayers are with his community and family at this difficult time.”
Earlier, a resident on the island of Stronsay – a short boat ride from Papa Stronsay – said everyone was doing their best to find Evans.
He felt the situation “must be a terrible worry” from the distance of New Zealand and wanted to reassure Evans’ loved ones that the community was looking for him.
He said the couple of hundred residents were keeping their ears to the ground and would continue to do so.
“Everybody is doing their best here and that’s how small communities are.
“We saw people were out looking for the lad and we’ll just keep looking. Let’s keep him in our prayers.”
Father Michael Mary – the founder of the traditionalist Catholic order which owns the monastery – said the situation was “utterly tragic” and suspected Evans had been suffering from long-term hypothermia before his disappearance.
“We are a close community and this has hit us all very hard and is deeply hurting. We hope to find him and hope that the sea will give him up soon.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
