The sister of a British man who disappeared on a sightseeing trip to Paris has welcomed the announcement that the families of those missing abroad are set for improved support.
With hundreds of British families facing the devastating uncertainty of a loved one going missing abroad each year, ministers have announced a new partnership between the UK Government and the charity Missing People, who will provide tailored assistance to help them through it.
Sanjiv Kundi's disappearance
Sanjiv Kundi, then a 41-year-old man from Leamington Spa, bought a return ticket to the French capital in 2013 and was last sighted on CCTV at Gare du Nord station. Since then, there has been no contact from Sanjiv with friends or family, and his bank card remains unused.
His sister Satvir, 56, called for better support and said there was still more to be done for families facing the agony of a missing loved one.
Sister's plea for unsolved cases
She said: “I personally feel that a lot of unsolved missing people cases seem to have been forgotten about when it comes to government support, and that's quite sad. I don't want my brother's file just left on a shelf somewhere and it never been picked up. He's still a person who's very much part of our family, and still missing.
“As much as I'm very grateful for Missing People as an organisation and work very closely with them, I feel more should be done. There is absolutely more that needs to be done, and 100% the government needs to take recognition that every person deserves to either be found, or located, or not forgotten.
“Every day as a family, with lived experience of somebody missing, as a family member you live in hope or fear. So all you want is to hope to hear that that person is okay and well. But naturally with so much going on out there, you fear the worst. You fear that you might never see that person again.
“My mom, my parents, they're elderly. That's their only son. I'm one of four sisters and one brother. That's their only son and they now live in this mindset. Now all they fear is that they're going to go out of this world not knowing.”
New support measures
The improved support could include engagement with trained family support teams, as well as a host of other family-centred services and events designed to help manage the emotional burden of a loved one going missing. She called for tailored support to help families who may have barriers with language, and said training was also important to use localised resources.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Minister Stephen Doughty MP, said: “Not knowing where a loved one is, or what has happened to them, is a truly awful experience for any family – and when they have gone missing in a distant part of the world, accessing support can be even harder.
“Our new partnership with Missing People will help provide enhanced support to families and friends in some of their most difficult moments.”
The Missing People charity said they know of 4,600 Brits currently missing abroad, and vowed to ensure families are better supported. Director of Services at Missing People, Sophie Lapham, said: "When someone goes missing abroad, families can find themselves facing enormous uncertainty and distress. They are forced to navigate unfamiliar systems and language barriers, often from thousands of miles away.
“We are delighted to be partnering with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to ensure more families can access support during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.”
