Mikaeel Kular > Three-year-old boy missing from a house in Edinburgh.

[Sherlock Holmes]

I think that (in France) in case of proved or high probability of abduction (independent witness), the delay is 1 hour because the regional State representative has to examine the case before allowing the operation which includes all highways and Internet, apart from TV and radio.

Interesting. I suppose the whole idea is that it is implemented in that golden time, otherwise there's not much point.

[AnneGuedes]

Regarding ports and ships, I cannot imagine how these would come into play in this particular case.

If the boy was removed by a family member they certainly don't sound like the kind of people who would have had access to private boats. And where would they be taking him anyway?

As John says Edinburgh port is mainly commercial. There were a few passenger lines in my day ( we often sailed from Leith to Bergen in western Norway - beautiful journey) though few of these lines run today. Again, what relevance these mainly commercial ships or private boats would have to this case is hard to imagine.

Commercial ships take people on board, at least some of them.
I find it also hard to imagine, unless the father works on a ship or unless the boy was abducted by yacht people. It was suggested in the McCann case, why not here ?

[John]

Interesting. I suppose the whole idea is that it is implemented in that golden time, otherwise there's not much point.

How many hours was it before the Child Rescue Alert CRA was invoked?  Reported missing after 7.15am if I recall.

[Sherlock Holmes]

Commercial ships take people on board, at least some of them.
I find it also hard to imagine, unless the father works on a ship or unless the boy was abducted by yacht people. It was suggested in the McCann case, why not here ?

Well first of all as John says, the fastest way of getting out of Scotland is by car. Just over an hour to the English border. Similar to the journey from PdL to the Spanish border - though probably quicker.

Remember also that Scotland and England, in constitutional terms, are the same country.  The border is completely open - no checks on it anywhere. No police presence, guards, passport control - not even for foreigners in the country. No Schengen agreement needed!

Secondly I think I read that the father, who presumably be the prime suspect in a family abduction, works in some kind of call centre. No connection to ships at all. And as far as I know the Asian community does not have much of a presence in Leith / the shipping world there. I could be wrong on that as my information is slightly out of date, but taking the situation as a whole, I don't see any reason to believe that ships would have been involved.

[Sherlock Holmes]

How many hours was it before the Child Rescue Alert CRA was invoked?  Reported missing after 7.15am if I recall.

I first read about it a 12.pm -  5 hours.

[AnneGuedes]

Interesting. I suppose the whole idea is that it is implemented in that golden time, otherwise there's not much point.

It's very delicate on many aspects. The alert must be overwhelming but can't last more than 3 hours, because rapidly it becomes counterproductive and eventually dangerous for the child (whose life has to be considered in danger). It's delicate in particular on the highways, the drivers can't be distracted.

[John]

Timeline


Wednesday 9pm: Mikaeel Kular is put to bed by his mother in his family home in Ferry Gait, Drylaw. His twin sister and three other siblings are also in the property.


Thursday 7.20am: Mikaeel’s mother discovers her son is not inside the property. Police Scotland are called, prompting a large scale search operation involving air and ground patrols. The Drylaw, Muirhouse and Pennywell areas become the initial focus.


10:45am: Police call a media conference stressing they are pursuing “all lines of enquiry”. They also insist there is no “suggestion of criminality” at this stage.


Quizzed about the whereabouts of the boy’s father, police insist they know of no “custody issues”.


They urge the public to help them with their search for the boy who is described as British and of Asian appearance.


He is described as three foot tall and possibly wearing a beige hooded jacket, blue jogging bottoms, brown shoes and nightwear.


Superintendent Liz McAinsh reveals Mikaeel’s mother is “distraught”.


12noon: Police activity focused on Waterfront Gait, around a mile from Mikaeel’s home.


12.30pm: Witnesses say police detained a man in West Granton


1.20pm: Police say the Waterfront Gait activity is not connected to the search for Mikaeel.


2pm: Two helicopters search wasteland to the rear of the family home as forensic officers arrive to carry out investigations.


2.30pm: Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue are understood to have joined police and local residents in searching the area for Mikaeel.

2.40pm: Coastguard and RNLI are seen scouring the shoreline at Cramond and Drylaw area for the missing three-year-old.


4.30pm: A dedicated telephone number (0300 200 0200) established for anyone with information.




It was 3 hours before the news even broke and 4.30pm before they issued the contact details. A poor show!

[AnneGuedes]

taking the situation as a whole, I don't see any reason to believe that ships would have been involved.

Why were all yachts of the Lagos Marina checked ?
I think the reason is Tannerman...
In the case of this wee boy, this is uncertain, no Smithman..

[Sherlock Holmes]

Commercial ships take people on board, at least some of them.
I find it also hard to imagine, unless the father works on a ship or unless the boy was abducted by yacht people. It was suggested in the McCann case, why not here ?

I think another reason here could be that, as far as we know so far, none of the family members have disappeared. Therefore who would have taken him away on a ship?

[John]

Remember too that it is still dark in Edinburgh at 7.20am so why on earth would a toddler go out on his own in the dark and the cold when previously he never even ventured outside to play?

Nite all.

[Sherlock Holmes]

Remember too that it is still dark in Edinburgh at 7.20am so why on earth would a toddler go out on his own in the dark and the cold when previously he never even ventured outside to play?

Nite all.

It's perplexing. Good night!

Also, we don't know what time he left the property. His mother put him to bet at 9pm the previous night and did not check on him until just after 7am.

Unlikely that he would have gone wandering at 7.20 am (and if he had done, there would have been people around by that time who may have seen him); and even more unlikely that he would have taken a walk in freezing temperatures in the hours before hand.

The idea with Madeleine was that she might have got up and gone looking for her parents. What possible reason would this little boy have for wanting to leave the house in the middle of the night? If he was distressed he would have gone to his mother.

[colombosstogey]

My thoughts. I think personally he went on an ADVENTURE, a SECRET. He is 3, quite tall for his age, and also seems a capable boy, can dress himself and put his shoes on.

I think he was coerced to go out by someone I expect he knows.

Looking at the flat door etc, there is no way he could have opened that heavy door but an adult could have.

Its all speculation but...............................

OH AND DOG DOUBTERS.

See the UK police bring in the dogs straight away just like the GNR did, and I expect the dogs in the uk have other expertise too....

[Angelo222]

I must admit I never saw any sniffer dogs on any of the live tv footage all morning yesterday so where were the dogs?   Surely if a kiddie had walked out of that apartment so early his would be the only live scent and easily followed??

[Mr Gray]

The big question is have they spoken to the father.

[jassi]

Well first of all as John says, the fastest way of getting out of Scotland is by car. Just over an hour to the English border. Similar to the journey from PdL to the Spanish border - though probably quicker.

Remember also that Scotland and England, in constitutional terms, are the same country.  The border is completely open - no checks on it anywhere. No police presence, guards, passport control - not even for foreigners in the country. No Schengen agreement needed!

Secondly I think I read that the father, who presumably be the prime suspect in a family abduction, works in some kind of call centre. No connection to ships at all. And as far as I know the Asian community does not have much of a presence in Leith / the shipping world there. I could be wrong on that as my information is slightly out of date, but taking the situation as a whole, I don't see any reason to believe that ships would have been involved.

I feel this thing about borders has been overstated. There would be no difference in going from Scotland into Northumberland than for example  there would be going from Lancashire to Cheshire.