The search for Daniel Mizzi: Locate International on BBC Radio Cornwall

Daniel Mizzi, a 35-year-old man from Plymouth, went missing in St Ives on December 8, and his family is desperately seeking answers. The last confirmed sighting of Daniel was at St Erth train station at 12:08 GMT, and concerns for his welfare are growing.

Devon and Cornwall Police have been tirelessly investigating, urging anyone with information to come forward. Daniel's brother, Jake Hughes, emotionally expressed the toll it's taking on the family, particularly their mother, Karran Minchinton, who simply said, "We all just miss him so much."

As a charity dedicated to helping families find missing loved ones, we aim to offer support to families like theirs in such challenging times. Our CEO, Dave Grimstead, shared his insights on an interview on BBC Radio Cornwall’s Breakfast Show this morning, shedding light on the critical role our charity plays in supporting families like Daniel's.

Dave started by emphasising the overwhelming volume of calls that the police handle; approximately 10,000 each year in Devon and Cornwall alone, which is nearly 30 a day. That’s why we have over 300 professionally trained volunteers. These volunteers, including former and current police officers and mental health specialists, work to review cases where search and rescue teams may reach their limits.

We have made a commitment to assisting families at no cost. Our volunteers, dispersed across the UK and internationally, collaborate with universities and the industry itself to advance investigation methods. Last year, we successfully resolved over 20 cases and contributed to solving cases of unidentified individuals.

“I think when families talk to us, there are a few things. They want to know that everything has been done that can be done, and sometimes with police resources, that is not always possible. So, we are able to offer that additional support. But also, families want to help understand what happened in individual cases and try to prevent it from happening in other cases in the future. Across the UK, there are about 5,000 long-term missing people, affecting whole communities. You've got Karen and Jake, but also all the people who knew Daniel when he was growing up, who worked with him. And we know that people dealing with that sort of trauma, it affects thousands of people.”

When asked about the nature of the work we do, Dave explained how what we really aim to achieve is to make a difference.

“I also think it's about knowing there are others in the community prepared to help. People who might not know Karran and Jake but are prepared to help. It's a bit like the ethos of the search and rescue teams, who come out 24/7 to help people they don't know who are in danger. All we do is apply that to the long-term missing persons cases so that we can draw on the professionalism of the volunteers from the local community. We have volunteers across Devon and Cornwall who can apply that time.”

We not only offer additional support but also aim to extend our work beyond the individual case, as we understand that incidents like this one impact entire communities - there are so many people who are affected by the trauma of a missing person.

Devon and Cornwall Police are actively seeking any information related to Daniel’s disappearance and have urged anyone with knowledge or potential sightings to come forward.

If you have seen Daniel or have any information that could assist in locating him, please do not hesitate to contact the police at 999, quoting the reference number 50230321378. Every piece of information is valuable, and your assistance could play a vital role in bringing Daniel back to his family.