Gareth has now been missing FOR

*****5 YEARS & 3 MONThs*****

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Please Help Us Find Our Son Gareth

Gareth David Koch has been missing since the 8th March 2004. He disappeared whilst on a trekking holiday in Nepal with a walking partner under very suspicious circumstances that have still not been discovered. Gareth is about 5'9 (approx 1.79m) tall and of slight build. He has light brown hair and hazel eyes. He has a nondescript southern English accent. He may also now have a beard or long hair. We hope that this site will aid us in our search for Gareth and to give information to those going to Nepal. The information on the site may act as a reminder or anyone who may have seen Gareth on their travels. For those of you who have plans to travel to Nepal, please look through the site and keep an eye out for Gareth in the future.

Please download and take a copy of one of the 15 Different Language Posters with you.

Also take a look at the new Trekkers Intention Book. Just click on the flag below.

The third "Gareth Koch Endeavour Shield" adventure day was held on Saturday 25th April 2009 with 32 young people taking part at the Youlbury International Scout Campsite Oxfordshire.

This is the patch that has been designed to reflect both Gareth and the challenge as it depicts mountains, which Gareth loved and young people coming together to face endeavours both in life and in fun.

The 2009 winners

The winning team with David & Gill Koch

Thanks to 'Bosun'for the photo

Click here to see more about the 2009 challenge

Click here to see more about the 2008 challenge

Click here to read about the 2007 challenge

Gill and I were invited to Roebuck House in London to hand over the money collected through sponsorship after Gill and I completed the 190 mile Coast to Coast Walk during the summer of 2006.

Gill and I handing over the cheque for £2127.00 to Dianne Flatt, Head of Fundraising & Marketing at the National Missing Persons Helpline (Visit the new missingpeople web site below) Headquarters in London. (27/09/06

Click here to see the photos of our walk

Gareth with his younger brother Adam

Gareth is our first born a quarter century ago.
He loves the outdoors with its mountains, trees, rocks and snow.

He is fair of face and good at heart, quietly spoken but full of grace.
Where he is now we do not know, but we long to see his familiar face.

A year ago he left this land to pursue a dream and try his best.
To Nepal he went to see the glories of the mountain they call Everest.

We await the day he comes home, to ask those questions and to learn.
But until that day we’ll daily pray for our Gareth’s safe return.        

© David Koch 2005

Contact

Our 24/7 Contact Number 07986 390152

A Message from Mum

Gareth is now 30 years old and he is our eldest son.  He has a brother, Adam, who was 27 in August.  We have not seen Gareth since the 20^th of February 2004 and we all miss him very much.

Gareth has been a fan of the out doors since he joined the Scouting Movement at the age of 8.  He had just become a Warranted Leader of one of the local Scout Groups, before leaving for Nepal.

When he had a week end free, he would often take himself off to Snowdonia or the Peak District, hiking to improve his fitness.  As a Scout Leader he was helping some of the youngsters with their Duke of Edinburgh Award by running with them twice a week, pushing them further each time.

Gareth is a quiet person but, he carries within, a strong and stubborn determination.  He cannot be pushed into doing something; he will do it in his own way, in his own time.

He is not reckless and therefore, the opportunity to Trek in Nepal, although being very exciting, meant that Gareth spent 9 months reading everything he could get his hands on about the region, about people’s experiences of Everest and studying maps to see where he would be going.

Gareth has been working in retail, but his real ambition is to work in the outdoors.  He wants to be involved with Mountain Rescue.  He has many books on the subject and, the hiking he has been doing has been working towards applying for a Mountain Leadership course.

It is because of this interest that we know Gareth was well prepared for the trip. He made sure that he collected all the necessary equipment and medical supplies that he might need.

He would not take unnecessary risks and had told Ian that he did not want to walk in the region where Maoist activity was reported.

So, when he left home on Friday 20^th February, he was fit and healthy, very excited and confident that he knew where he and Ian, his travelling companion, where heading.

People have suggested to us that Gareth may have decided to go off and ‘Find Himself’.  Well, this is not the Gareth that we know.  He had too many other things planned in his diary.  He was due to speak to the Scouts and tell them about his adventures.  He had booked to go on the annual Summer Camp and was talking about a climbing trip in Europe later in the year, with colleagues from work. 

This web site is therefore dedicated to Gareth and our desire to have him safely home.

Gill Koch

Click here to enter the gallery

Gareth and the Gang

Gareth and Adam

Click on the picture below to see the lost pictures of Nepal

Please sign Gareth's Message book.

Thank you.