Family of a British journalist who has gone missing in Amazon calls for deeper search

A British Journalist was reported missing on Sunday after he ventured into the Amazon rainforest. The family of the 57-year-old man, Dom Phillips, has called for the British and Brazilian authorities in London to conduct a deeper search to find the man, reports AFP.

Dom Phillips, a contributor to the Guardian, and Bruno Pereira, a specialist in indigenous peoples, ventured into the Amazon rainforest and allegedly went missing in the Javari Valley in Amazonas state, located in the West of the Amazon basin, near Peru.

The region is experiencing an upsurge in armed violence because of the presence of miners, gold diggers, poachers, and drug traffickers.

In a gathering of close to 30 people in front of the Brazil embassy in London, the man's sister Sian Phillips in a statement to the media, asked, "Where is Dom Phillips? Where is Bruno Pereira?"

Watch |Brazilian Army in search of missing British journalist in Amazon

Sian Phillips blames the Brazilian authorities for their delayed response to the situation, but she claims to have hope that the two men will be found soon.

"We want the UK authorities to put pressure on the Brazilian government. We want to carry on with the search. We want to find out what is happening to them, and we want anyone responsible for any criminal act to be brought to justice. We want a persistent deep, and open investigation," AFP quoted Sian Phillips.

In a region where trafficking is widespread, the Brazilian authorities are still hopeful of finding the two men alive; however, they have not ruled out any form of outcome, including that of a homicide.

Paul Sherwood, Dom Phillips' brother-in-law, told AFP, "We've been assured that everything has been done that can be done."

Several eminent personalities, activists, and human rights groups have rallied to the cause and have urged Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to deepen the search.

(With inputs from agencies)

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