New Appeal for Missing Backpacker (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

New Appeal for Missing Backpacker

MORE than a year after their son Gareth went missing while backpacking, Gill and David Koch have launched a new appeal for information.

Twenty-five-year-old Gareth, who worked at Cotswold Outdoor in South Cerney was trekking in Nepal when he disappeared in March 2004.

Special badges with a picture of Gareth and website details were launched to mark a year since he was last seen.

His father, David Koch, speaking 13 months to the day after Gareth's disappearance, explained the new appeal was ongoing.

He said: "We did the badge appeal and we had 1,000 badges made up how we wanted, a specific badge was made that would last a long time."

David went on to say they had chosen badges because they were easy for people to pin on clothes or a backpack and carry around with them.

About 900 Gareth badges were sent out around the world. Many went to Nepal to the sister of a guide who helped Mr and Mrs Koch when they spent four weeks searching for their son last year.

Gareth' parents now hope the badges will help jog the memories of fellow backpackers and help track down information about their son.

Gareth travelled to Nepal for a four-week trek in February 2004, he was last seen in Sagarmatha National Park on March 8 and was due to fly home two weeks later.

The website set up by Mr and Mrs Koch to get more information on Gareth is www.garethkochlostinnepal.co.uk