Family of missing Hobart man Andrew Gaskell join Malaysian search

THE family of missing Hobart man Andrew Gaskell have flown to Malaysia in an attempt to help authorities find the 25-year-old engineer.

Andrew Gaskell's dad David (left), his friend Hafeez Hamid and brother Ben Gaskell in Malaysia. Picture: SUPPLIED.

THE family of missing Hobart man Andrew Gaskell have flown to Malaysia in an attempt to help authorities find the 25-year-old engineer.

Mr Gaskell has been travelling through Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo since August and embarked on a trek in the remote Mulu National Park on October 18.

Andrew Gaskell is missing in Malaysia. Picture: SUPPLIED

The avid hiker was reported missing on Thursday and family members have been unable to make contact with him since Tuesday.

Malaysian have reported Mr Gaskell was supposed to return on October 21, with authorities launching a search operation involving more than 20 fire and rescue and police personnel, tourist guides, Sarawak Forestry staff and members of the public.

A family member told the Sunday Tasmanian Mr Gaskell’s younger brother Ben and his father David flew to Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, on Friday night to help authorities with the search.

“Ben and David are holding up okay, they got there [yesterday] morning,” she said.

“They will go out there [to the national park] on a boat [today]. There is only one boat a day out there.”

Support and good luck messages have flooded social media, including a photo of Mr Gaskell’s Malaysian friends Hafeez Hamid, pictured alongside Ben and David with the caption: “Sorry Ben and dad, can’t join both of you to go to Mulu tomorrow. Hope everything gonna be ok.”

Police have said it was unusual for Mr Gaskell to be out of contact for this long, however the communication system is poor in the area.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman reiterated yesterday it was liaising with Malaysian authorities in their search of Mr Gaskell and providing consular assistance to his family. “Due to our privacy obligations, we will not provide further comment,” the department said.

Mr Gaskell grew up in Hobart but has been living in Queensland for the past three years.

Originally published as Family of missing Hobart man Andrew Gaskell join Malaysian search