The family of a father-of-two who vanished in Spain believe he has been murdered, as they continue a desperate search to find his body, offering a reward for information on his whereabouts.
John Hardy, also known as John George, 37, was reported missing on December 18 after failing to board his flight home to Belfast from Alicante.
The 37-year-old had travelled to Spain three weeks earlier to visit friends but never made it back to spend Christmas with his children.
His family is now offering a £30,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts, as they conduct extensive searches across the Costa Blanca region.
Hardy's sister Courtney George, 31, believes her brother has been murdered and his location is being concealed.
She said: "I think he has been murdered and his body hidden somewhere. Those responsible need to tell us where he is.
"I am in caves and mountains looking for my brother while they have run away. They need to tell us what they know."
George said her brother had been visiting a friend in Cabo Roig, near Alicante.
She added: "We want a body and we want to bring him home. We want a resting place for him, that's all we want."
Around 40 people are now involved in the search operation across the Spanish coast, with local residents joining the effort.
Volunteers have deployed dogs and drones to help scour thousands of acres of terrain each day.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The search teams are covering extensive ground, from fields to beach and marina areas, working from morning until night without pause.
hardy's younger brother Darren said: "The support from Belfast has been unbelievable. Every local out here in Spain has been supporting us too."
The family has established a GoFundMe page which has already raised more than £20,000 to support the search efforts.
Hardy's last known contact with his family was on December 14, when his mobile phone went inactive.
During his final phone conversation with relatives, he reportedly sounded "distressed," adding to the family's grave concerns.
He had contacted his family to confirm he was en route to Belfast from Alicante, but never arrived at his destination.
A video has emerged on social media showing Hardy appearing intoxicated and claiming to be with Russians, though police are aware of the footage and a translator has confirmed the background voices are not speaking Russian.
The Spanish authorities are treating the case as a missing persons investigation, which has worried the family that crucial evidence could be overlooked.
The emotional toll on the family has been severe, with Hardy's parents joining the search despite their own health challenges.
"Our mum has had two strokes and dad has had a heart attack but they are in their 50s and running around Spain looking for John," his brother Darren revealed.
"Mum is climbing mountains, crawling down caves and knocking doors in," he added.
Back in Belfast, Hardy's two young sons are desperately awaiting news of their father.
"We're just devastated and heartbroken and John has two young kids at home who just want their daddy back," Darren said.
The family has vowed they "will not be leaving Spain without John's body."
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John Hardy, also known as John George, 37, was reported missing on December 18 after failing to board his flight home to Belfast from Alicante.
The 37-year-old had travelled to Spain three weeks earlier to visit friends but never made it back to spend Christmas with his children.
His family is now offering a £30,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts, as they conduct extensive searches across the Costa Blanca region.
Hardy's sister Courtney George, 31, believes her brother has been murdered and his location is being concealed.
She said: "I think he has been murdered and his body hidden somewhere. Those responsible need to tell us where he is.
"I am in caves and mountains looking for my brother while they have run away. They need to tell us what they know."
George said her brother had been visiting a friend in Cabo Roig, near Alicante.
She added: "We want a body and we want to bring him home. We want a resting place for him, that's all we want."
Around 40 people are now involved in the search operation across the Spanish coast, with local residents joining the effort.
Volunteers have deployed dogs and drones to help scour thousands of acres of terrain each day.
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The search teams are covering extensive ground, from fields to beach and marina areas, working from morning until night without pause.
hardy's younger brother Darren said: "The support from Belfast has been unbelievable. Every local out here in Spain has been supporting us too."
The family has established a GoFundMe page which has already raised more than £20,000 to support the search efforts.
Hardy's last known contact with his family was on December 14, when his mobile phone went inactive.
During his final phone conversation with relatives, he reportedly sounded "distressed," adding to the family's grave concerns.
He had contacted his family to confirm he was en route to Belfast from Alicante, but never arrived at his destination.
A video has emerged on social media showing Hardy appearing intoxicated and claiming to be with Russians, though police are aware of the footage and a translator has confirmed the background voices are not speaking Russian.
The Spanish authorities are treating the case as a missing persons investigation, which has worried the family that crucial evidence could be overlooked.
The emotional toll on the family has been severe, with Hardy's parents joining the search despite their own health challenges.
"Our mum has had two strokes and dad has had a heart attack but they are in their 50s and running around Spain looking for John," his brother Darren revealed.
"Mum is climbing mountains, crawling down caves and knocking doors in," he added.
Back in Belfast, Hardy's two young sons are desperately awaiting news of their father.
"We're just devastated and heartbroken and John has two young kids at home who just want their daddy back," Darren said.
The family has vowed they "will not be leaving Spain without John's body."
Find Out More...