THE father of a missing East Yorkshire student says he is devastated after the police refused to carry out a fresh search of tunnels at RAF Bempton.
The family of Russell Bohling has been told Humberside Police has no new evidence to justify a search warrant.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Donald said the force has assurances a comprehensive search of the tunnels and bunkers had been carried out by the fire service six days after Russell went missing.
The fire service issued a statement yesterday agreeing with this.
However, Russell's father, Roger, said fire officers told him the brief for the search in March 2010 was to find a living person.
He met up with fire officers last summer, who said only heat- sensitive cameras and torches were used, which would be ineffective in the search for a body, while flooded areas were not pumped out and searched.
Mr Bohling said: "We are devastated at not knowing if his body is there or not or who to believe about the search having taken place to find his body.
"No explanation has been given to the family for the completely opposite accounts given by Humberside Police and Humberside Fire and Rescue.
"The fire service told me they were unable to tell us if his body is laying there waiting to be discovered.
"It has been absolute anguish for two and three-quarter years.
"The bunker is the place Russell is most likely to be. His car was found at the nearest public car park to the bunker and he had an interest in the abandoned bunker."
Russell was 18 when he disappeared on March 2, 2010, after he left the family home in West Ella for Bishop Burton College.
His Renault Clio was found at Bempton Cliffs the next day.
He would have been celebrating his 21st birthday later this month.
Mr Donald said specialist police officers, who started the search of tunnels and bunkers at RAF Bempton, had to stop as it was believed asbestos was present.
Police then requested the fire service continue the search, wearing the correct protective equipment, which they did.
Mr Donald said: "Police were given assurance a comprehensive search of the tunnels and bunkers had been carried out by the fire service, but crews were unable to locate a body."
The family believe Russell was murdered, but the police have always treated it as a missing person case.
Mr Donald said: "Teams searched for a body and not body parts as we had no reason to believe that Russell Bohling has been a victim of crime at RAF Bempton or anywhere else.
"This remains our conclusion.
"At this time there remains no evidence suggesting the whereabouts of Russell nor has any member of the public come forward with evidence which helps us find him.
"Without evidence to justify a search warrant, or evidence beyond speculation and opinion, Humberside Police will not be carrying out a new search of the tunnels and bunkers at RAF Bempton."
The fire service is due to search the underground site at Bempton Cliffs as part of a training exercise.
A spokesman said on the original search: "Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, in support of the police, carried out a comprehensive search of the complex but Russell was not found."
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