Search for Scottish man who vanished during stag do in Portugal one week ago focuses on cliff area

The family of a Scottish man who disappeared on a stag do in Portugal say the search to find him has focused on a cliff area, with drones and dogs deployed.

Greg Monks was last seen leaving the main strip in the resort town of Albufeira in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The 38-year-old from Glasgow had arrived on the evening of Tuesday, May 27 as part of a stag do and was on a night out with friends.

The groomsman told the group he was leaving around 2am to return to his accommodation.

Greg Monks was last seen in the popular resort of Albufeira on Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning leaving the strip. Facebook

Members of his family have now flown out to aid the search, and have been told by police there have been no sightings of him at hospitals in the region.

He was last seen on a CCTV image, which the family say they haven’t seen, but the sighting was confirmed by a friend of Greg’s.

His sister, Jillian Monks, told STV News: “The first CCTV sighting that put him in the area a few days ago was confirmed to be him.

“We weren’t there yet – but since the police haven’t shared any new images with us.”

Jillian said the local National Republican Guard (GNR) police force has deployed sniffer dogs in the search for Greg, which is focused on a rocky cliff area.

Police and locals are scouring the Cerro da Aguia area, which is dense with woodland.

The family say the police have been doing all they can, but are dealing with a lack of resources.

Jillian added: “We need more manpower. The place where he has gone missing has a cliff.

“The people of Portugal have been out searching but they’re having trouble accessing some areas because they’re so dense.

“Drones have been out but seeing those images has been very difficult.”

The family have also had to deal with misinformation after a Facebook group was set up to help find Greg, with one potential sighting at a hospital proven to be false.

“Some of the stories that people have put out there are really difficult,” she added.

“A man a few days ago told me he was talking to Greg in the hospital, that he told him his name, but I think he just made it up.

“It just gives you hope and then it’s ripped away again.”

However, Jillian says the help from locals aiding the search has been amazing on the whole.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man reported missing in Portugal and are in contact with the local authorities”.