The family of a London girl missing in Malaysia has said the 15-year-old is “not like other teenagers” and does not go anywhere alone – as the search for her entered its fifth day.
Nora Quoirin went missing on holiday in Malaysia and has not been seen since Sunday.
On Friday, around 250 people were looking for her near the resort where she was staying and the dense jungle around it.
However, police have so far found no trace of her.
Rescue team members prayed before the latest search began
A police helicopter with a thermal imaging camera is taking part in the search
In a statement, her family said the teenager is not independent and her verbal communication is limited.
“Nora is very sensitive,” the statement said, adding that outside her family, she is very shy and can be quite anxious – although she was extremely excited about the holiday.
They said Nora was born with holoprosencephaly, which means she has a smaller brain.
Her family said she had spent a lot of time in hospital and needed operations to help her breathing when she was born.
Indigenous trackers search for missing Nora
They said Nora can speak French and English, can read like a young child, but cannot write more than a few words.
Her family said she has a good memory but cannot understand anything conceptual, and things like money are impossible for her to manage.
She also cannot make or receive phone calls independently.
Nora’s family said they found she was missing from her bedroom at the Dusun resort in Negeri Sembilan last Sunday morning, and that the window was left open.
Police have been investigating “all angles” in Nora’s disappearance, but her family have said they believe she was abducted.
The 15-year-old is the daughter of an Irish-French couple who have lived in London for the past 20 years.
Her mother, Meabh, is originally from Belfast and the teenager is understood to be travelling on an Irish passport.
‘Nora darling, mummy’s here’ – police play mother’s voice
The girl’s family said she had been to Asia and many European countries before, but had never wandered off or got lost.
They thanked police and all those searching for Nora, some of whom have been working “all day, every day”.
Earlier, a local official said they were investigating whether footprints spotted in the forest belonged to the missing teen.
The rescuers are now focusing on the jungle’s hilly areas amid a theory Nora could be hiding behind trees or rocks.
On Thursday, search crews began playing recorded voice messages from Nora’s mother, hoping she would respond to them.
Nora’s family have said they remain hopeful after officers leading the investigation refused to rule out a “criminal element”.
