THE FAMILY of missing Irish teen Nora Quorin “remain hopeful” she will be found by police in Malaysia.
The 15-year-old, who has learning difficulties, disappeared from her hotel room at The Dusan resort near Seremban at some point between 7am on Saturday, August 3, and 8am on Sunday, August 4.
Nora, who is one of three children on holiday with her parents in the region, was missing from her room when her father went to check on her the following morning.
He found no trace of the 15-year-old though he did notice that the window to her hotel room had been opened.
Police are continuing to search the area and have deployed sniffer dogs and indigenous trackers to help in the search.
Malaysian deputy police chief Che Zakaria Othman has also confirmed that a forensic team was analysing fingerprints found in the family's cottage.
The prints were discovered at an open window in a downstairs hall but not in the bedroom upstairs where the girl was sleeping with her siblings, he said.
While Nora’s family suspect criminal activity, police are "not ruling out any possibility" and remain hopeful that Nora is still in the area.
Her family have launched an emotional television appeal for help, expressing their “deepest gratitude” to the Royal Malaysia Police and others helping in the search.
"We must remain hopeful,” they said in a statement.
"And we ask everyone to keep Nora in their thoughts, and to continue to support the ongoing search for her.
"Nora is still missing, and she is very vulnerable, and we need to do everything we can to bring her home."
The family added: "We would like to thank our embassies, the local community, and the staff here at the hotel and anyone else who has offered help to find Nora.
"We also welcome the assistance of the French, British and Irish police.
"We are completely overwhelmed by the support we have received from all over the world."
The statement, released on their behalf by the Lucie Blackman Trust, which was set up to help crisis-hit British nationals overseas, added that her parents, the Irish-French couple Meabh and Sebastien are "too upset to speak themselves at this time".
"This is extremely traumatic for the whole family," they added.
