LATEST: Search For Sope

More searches have been carried out on a North-East waterway as part of the ongoing search for Sope Peters.

Last Saturday, Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team were out in canoes as part of the continuing effort to find the Durham University student.

Canoeists search for Sope Peters.

Inspector Paul Anderson said Sope’s disappearance a month ago was “a complete mystery” but added the likelihood was that Sope had fallen in the river.

Steve Owers, deputy team leader, said: “At the request of Durham Police five members of our canoe group have spent the day searching the River Wear from Durham City downstream to Finchale Priory, a distance of five miles.

“Canoes are ideally suited to this type of search as they can operate in most river conditions and are capable of accessing overhanging vegetation and inaccessible riverbanks.

“This is the second occasion we have been asked to search for Sope, soon after he went missing we searched both the river and its banks from Elvet Bridge to the old ice rink site but despite our best efforts we have found no evidence of the missing student.”

Tolu Peters: Praying for her son’s return.

Mr Peters is a 20-year-old economics student in his second year last seen shortly after midnight on Tuesday, October 29 on CCTV on the steps down to the river at Elvet Bridge. He is from North Virginia in the USA.

Anyone with any information about Sope’s whereabouts is asked to call police on 101.