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| Corrie McKeague: Friends' hopes over missing RAF man | |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Friends who were with an RAF serviceman when he went missing are "hoping it's not the last time they see him", a station commander said. | Friends who were with an RAF serviceman when he went missing are "hoping it's not the last time they see him", a station commander said. |
| Corrie McKeague, 23, went missing after being separated from the group on a night out in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. | |
| Gp Capt Mick Smeath, who leaves his post at RAF Honington on Friday, said Mr McKeague often "used to go off". | |
| Mr McKeague's friends knew about his "lifestyle" and "did not feel guilty", he said. | |
| "I don't think they feel guilty," said Gp Capt Smeath. "He was used to going off on his own. They knew what his lifestyle was like. I think they are just very sad. They are hoping it's not the last time they see him." | "I don't think they feel guilty," said Gp Capt Smeath. "He was used to going off on his own. They knew what his lifestyle was like. I think they are just very sad. They are hoping it's not the last time they see him." |
| For live updates and other Suffolk news | For live updates and other Suffolk news |
| Gp Capt Mick Smeath said he was disappointed to go before the gunner was found and described the disappearance as "unusual". | Gp Capt Mick Smeath said he was disappointed to go before the gunner was found and described the disappearance as "unusual". |
| A commander has said leaving an RAF base with a serviceman still missing had made his departure "hard". | A commander has said leaving an RAF base with a serviceman still missing had made his departure "hard". |
| "Leaving a station you have commanded for two years is actually quite a sad thing to do," he said. "Leaving with Corrie missing is actually quite hard. I really wanted Corrie to be found before I left, mainly for the family, for the station and also for me - he's one of mine." | "Leaving a station you have commanded for two years is actually quite a sad thing to do," he said. "Leaving with Corrie missing is actually quite hard. I really wanted Corrie to be found before I left, mainly for the family, for the station and also for me - he's one of mine." |
| He is "absolutely larger than life" and "very popular", said Gp Capt Smeath, who described the disappearance on 24 September as "unusual". | He is "absolutely larger than life" and "very popular", said Gp Capt Smeath, who described the disappearance on 24 September as "unusual". |
| He said: "It's unusual for people to go missing in the services - we've never had that at RAF Honington. | He said: "It's unusual for people to go missing in the services - we've never had that at RAF Honington. |
| "There was shock initially. Now there's very much concern." | "There was shock initially. Now there's very much concern." |
| Mr McKeague, from Dunfermline, Fife, was last seen on CCTV walking along Brentgovel Street in the town just after 03:20 BST. | |
| He had become separated from his friends after he was escorted out of Flex Nightclub on St Andrew's Street South just after 01:00 BST. | He had become separated from his friends after he was escorted out of Flex Nightclub on St Andrew's Street South just after 01:00 BST. |
| Gp Capt Smeath ruled out any link with the attempted abduction of an RAF Marham serviceman. | Gp Capt Smeath ruled out any link with the attempted abduction of an RAF Marham serviceman. |
| The outgoing station commander said Mr McKeague was "very professional" and "popular" at the station. | |
| He added: "I really wanted Corrie to be found before I left, mainly for the family, for the station and also for me - he's one of mine." | He added: "I really wanted Corrie to be found before I left, mainly for the family, for the station and also for me - he's one of mine." |