Island body found as team fly in

Mark Harris's family asked Global Rescue to help in the search

A north Wales search team has returned from the Canary Islands after an attempt to save a father-of-three who went missing while walking.

The body of Mark Harris, 57, of north London, was found on La Palma on the day Global Rescue Services arrived.

The team said it could not refuse a plea for help from the family of Mr Harris, a senior Parole Board manager.

The Conwy-based group now wants to meet the Foreign Office to discuss financing overseas work such as this.

Mr Harris, a keen walker who was the Parole Board's new director of quality and standards, was found at the base of a drop of about 300ft (90m).

He disappeared on Friday, 3 August after failing to meet his wife and teenage daughter after setting off on a 13km hike from Los Brecitos to the Playa de Taburiente campsite.

The Global Rescue Services team was called by his family to help in the search on 7 August, but because of the busy holiday season the team had to wait until Friday, 10 August, to get flights to Tenerife, and then on to La Palma.

So many British tourists go missing and they tend to send a police officer out, but they deal with the paper work of the investigation whereas we could get involved in the search. David Jones, Global Rescue Services

Mr Harris was married to Helen, and had three children, Josh, Phil and Fay. His wife and Fay were on holiday with him when he disappeared.

Before his body was found, his daughter-in-law Renee Harris described him as "a very resourceful and strong man and so loved by everyone - his family, his friends and his colleagues."

Chief executive Christine Glenn said on the Parole Board's website: "I know that every one at the board will join me in sending our deepest regrets to Mark's family for their tragic loss."

"We did not take dogs with us this time, but a search management team," said David Jones, of Global Rescue Services, who was accompanied by Alistair Read, John Carrie and Gavin Roberts.

"Local teams found Mr Harris' body as we arrived on Friday, but we stayed on to compile a report on the circumstances of his death on the request of the family, and that report is available to the coroner in the UK."

'Extra finance'

Mr Jones said the expertise offered by his team should be used more often overseas.

"So many British tourists go missing and they tend to send a police officer out, but they deal with the paper work of the investigation whereas we could get involved in the search.

"We now want to set up a meeting with the Foreign Office to discuss this, as getting involved in more searches would involve us having to find extra finance."

Looking for Mr Harris cost the team around £5,000, but the team had wanted to help.

"We had a call from this family, and you can't say no to someone who is pleading for you to help," he added.

The Foreign Office said missing persons were always searched for by authorities in the country where they were staying.

The spokesman said it was not possible to respond to Global Rescue Service's offer to be involved in more overseas searches, and the charity would have to contact the Foreign Office directly to discuss the matter.