Royal Navy: Police investigators continue search for missing sailor Simon Parkes who dissapeared in Gibraltar in 1986 - following "new information"

Officers carried out a small amount of excavation work at Town Range Car Park in Gibraltar this week as they continue to investigate what happened to 18-year-old Simon Parkes.

Royal Navy Rating Parkes, from Bristol, was last seen in December 1986, when the ship he was serving on, HMS Illustrious, was docked in Gibraltar.The 18-year-old radio operator went onto shore but never made it back on-board and when the ship returned to Portsmouth days later, no one knew what had happened to him despite a huge manhunt to find him.

Since then, investigations into his disappearance have so far failed to find answers for his devastated parents.

Murderer Allan Grimson also served on Illustrious at the same time before he was convicted and jailed for the brutal murder of two ratings he lured back to his Portsmouth flat in 1997 and 1998. They were both murdered on the same day one year apart on December 12 - the exact day Simon went missing in Gibraltar.

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A force spokesperson said: “Nine officers from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, including detectives and specially trained search officers, carried out the work in Gibraltar from Monday 7 August to Thursday 10 August as we continue to investigate what happened to Simon Parkes.

“This investigation continues to be a collaborative operation between Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and Royal Gibraltar Police with support from the Gibraltar Defence Police and the Royal Navy.”

Detective Chief Inspector Adam Edwards, who is overseeing the investigation, added: “Based on new information specialist officers have spent four days in Gibraltar following a potential new line of enquiry. We have excavated a small area at Town Range Car Park, around and inside of, some water tanks and have assessed the material removed.

“Disappointingly we have not identified anything that helps to move the investigation into Simon’s disappearance forward. There is no intention to expand our search area or move to other locations at this time. However it is important to stress that our investigation does remain ongoing.

“I’d like to thank our colleagues at Royal Gibraltar Police for their assistance with this latest operation and the public in Gibraltar for their patience during this activity.

“We have kept Mr and Mrs Parkes informed of our progress and I’d like to thank them again for their support. We know this remains a difficult time for them and we hope our ongoing work will bring them the answers they so desperately want.

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"Following the operational activity our officers visited the memorial site for Simon and laid some flowers to show our support to his family”

After arriving in Gibraltar, Simon left his passport and gifts for family and friends in his locker, before heading into town. After spending the day drinking, he left his crewmates at the Horseshoe Pub on Main Street at 10.30pm saying he was going to get some food before returning to the ship in the Naval Base – but he was never seen or heard of again.

Anyone with information about the disappearance of Simon Parkes can call police on 101, quoting Operation Thornhill, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.