Police divers have been seen searching a pond as part of the investigation into the disappearance of 19-year-old student Richard Okorogheye.
Mr Okorogheye has not been seen by his family since 22 March when he left their home in the Ladbroke Grove area of west London.
The 19-year-old, who has sickle cell disease, took a taxi to Loughton, Essex. He was reported missing two days later.
He was last seen in CCTV footage recorded near Epping Forest the day after his disappearance.
The Metropolitan Police said the search of the woodland continued for a fourth day on Sunday but nothing of relevance to the investigation has been found.
Police divers have been seen searching a pond in Epping Forest as part of the investigation into the disappearance of 19-year-old student Richard Okorogheye
Mr Okorogheye has not been seen by his family since 22 March when he left their home in the Ladbroke Grove area of west London
Police divers have been deployed and were seen in one of the bodies of water in the woodland in north-east London.
Scotland Yard previously said that detectives continue to keep an open mind about the Oxford Brookes University student’s whereabouts.
Initial police inquiries identified Mr Okorogheye leaving his home address and heading in the direction of Ladbroke Grove at around 8.30pm.
He did not take his medication or any money when he left home.
In a previously confirmed sighting on Monday March 22, Mr Okorogheye was seen boarding the number 23 bus southbound in Ladbroke Grove at 8.44pm.
CCTV footage shows he was wearing all black and had a black satchel bag with a white Adidas logo, worn across his lower back.
Police said further inquiries have established that he then took a taxi journey from the W2 area of London to a residential street in Loughton.
The 19-year-old, who has sickle cell disease, was last seen in CCTV footage recorded near Epping Forest the day after his disappearance
Police divers have been deployed and were seen in one of the bodies of water in the woodland in north-east London
Mr Okorogheye’s mother Evidence Joel previously said the Oxford Brookes University student had spoken of ‘struggling to cope’ with university pressures
He was captured on CCTV walking alone on Smarts Lane, Loughton, towards Epping Forest at 12.39am on Tuesday March 23.
Mr Okorogheye’s mother Evidence Joel previously said the Oxford Brookes University student had spoken of ‘struggling to cope’ with university pressures and had been shielding during the Covid-19 lockdown.
In a statement, she said: ‘Richard we love you and miss you very much, please can you come home? We aren’t angry at you. We just want to know that you’re okay.
‘For anyone reading this, we are desperately missing our son. If you know anything or know where he might be, please come forward and speak to the police.’
On Thursday, police said Mr Okorogheye’s phone has not been in use since his disappearance.
Yesterday, police made a direct appeal to the missing student to get in touch and ‘let us know you are safe’.
Yesterday, police made a direct appeal to the missing student to get in touch and ‘let us know you are safe’
Detective Superintendent Danny Gosling said in an appeal: ‘My message to Richard is clear. Our only concern is your safety. You are not in trouble and have done nothing wrong’
Detective Superintendent Danny Gosling, Head of the Met’s Central West Public Protection Unit, said: ‘People can go missing from home for any of number of reasons. Our job is not to cast judgement but to work to find them and bring them home safely.
‘My message to Richard is clear. Our only concern is your safety. You are not in trouble and have done nothing wrong.
‘If you read or hear this message we would ask you to contact us, or someone you trust, to let us know you are safe. Your loved ones and many other people who you do not even know, are very concerned.
‘I would also like to thank the public for their continued support in sharing our appeals, checking doorbell and dash cam footage and passing on any information.
‘As our efforts to find Richard continue, the eyes and ears of ordinary members of the public will be essential tools in our search.’
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting 21MIS008134.
Mr Okorogheye’s mother Evidence Joel previously said that her son had spoken of ‘struggling to cope’ with university pressures and had been shielding during the Covid-19 lockdown.
As someone with sickle cell disease, Mr Okorogheye would only leave the house to go to hospital for regular blood transfusions for his condition.