Gulf Daily News

MANAMA, Jul 13: Police have launched a nationwide search for a three-year-old boy, missing since Tuesday.Saudi Bader Jawad Hussain Mubarak, who lives in Samaheej, Muharraq, vanished while playing outside his home with his seven-year-old brother.

It was thought he had fallen down a nearby sewer, but this was discounted after firemen opened it up, police said yesterday.

Police, using sniffer dogs, are hunting for Bader and the coastguard have also been alerted, said acting general director of Crime Detection and Forensic Science Brigadier Tariq bin Dana.

He added that police patrolling Bahrain's borders - on land, air and sea - had been told to watch out for the child.

"We do not want to jump to conclusions right now, but we are not excluding any options," said Brig Dana at a Press conference in the Manama Police Fort.

"We hope he is still alive, and until we find him we are keeping options open. We are asking the public to report any information they have to us."

The boy was last seen at around 11am on Tuesday, but police were not informed until 7.15pm, as his family was unaware that he was missing.

Brig Dana said the boy's father had been at home and his mother at a hospital, but did not elaborate on whether she was a visitor or patient.

"We do not want to put the blame on anyone," he said.