Scotland police search for missing Cameroon athletes

Police are looking for two Cameroonian wrestlers who disappeared after flying into Scotland for the Commonwealth Games.

The Cameroonian athletes were reported missing from their training base at Aberdeen Sports Village just before midday on Tuesday.

The men are believed to be aged 31 and 26 and were last spotted at 8.30pm on Sunday near Hillhead student halls.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Two men have been reported as missing from the Aberdeen area. Both, one aged 31 and one aged 26, were reported missing from the Old Aberdeen area of Aberdeen just after midday on Tuesday.

"They were last seen at Hillhead Halls of residence on Don Street, Aberdeen at around 8.30pm on Sunday.”

A spokesman from the Cameroon High Commission in London said: "The men went straight from Cameroon to the UK for their pre-training before the Games. It is currently unclear what the situation is but we will now start our own investigation and will be liaising with the local authorities in Scotland."

The spokesman would not comment on any motive behind the wrestlers' move.

At the London Olympics in 2012 seven athletes from the African state absconded, including the entire boxing team and half its swimming team. The Cameroon government later admitted that the disappearance had been for "economic reasons".

One man is described as around 5ft 8in tall and was wearing black trousers, a black jumper, a white body warmer and a black woollen hat. The other man is 5ft 4in tall with a thin build and a prominent scar on his left cheek. He was wearing sports clothing when he disappeared.

Anyone with any information has been asked to contact Police Scotland on 101.