Users of exercise-logging app Strava urged to check maps in search for Jack O'Sullivan, 23, who vanished six months ago

09/15/2024 02:16 PM

STRAVA users have been urged to check their exercise-logging app in the search to find a 23-year-old man who disappeared six months ago.

Law conversion student Jack O'Sullivan vanished after a night out.

He was last seen at 3.15am on March 2 in the area of Brunel Lock Road/Brunel Way, in Bristol.

Jack, who is described as white, around 5ft 10ins tall, of slim build, with short, brown hair, was on a night out with his pals when he went missing.

Hundreds of taxi drivers have been interviewed and thousands of hours of CCTV reviewed but Jack’s disappearance remains a mystery.

Now an appeal has been posted on the ‘FIND JACK’ Facebook page – with more than 60,000 members – for Strava users to check their accounts.

A web user who made the post is urging users of the physical activity tracking app to activate Strava Flyby which shows a map of your activity route.

Strava Flyby also reveals when other Strava users crossed the same path or were nearby and they believe it could reveal witnesses or other important information.

Those searching for Jack are hopeful the chain of ‘flybys’ could reveal more people who were in the Brunel Lock and Brunel Way area the night or morning he disappeared.

The social media user wrote: “By following this chain of flybys, searchers could potentially find a wider network of people who were in the general area that night/morning.

“Each of these individuals might have a small piece of information that, when put together, could help build a clearer picture of what happened.

“As well as exact times, routes, etc. people often post photos onto their Strava activities.

“It could cast a wider net and might help uncover details that wouldn’t otherwise be found.”

Jack was wearing a quilted green/brown Barbour jacket, a beige woollen jumper, navy chinos and brown leather trainers with white soles when he vanished in March.

His family previously made a formal complaint about a police force’s attempts to find him and said they had ”lost all faith” in Avon and Somerset Police’s investigation.

They say that errors were made in early searches and crucial CCTV footage was initially missed.

A GoFundMefundraising page was set up by family friend with the aim of raising money to generate new leads earlier this month.

They want to offer £20k to “regnite the search efforts” and said if unclaimed the money would go to charity Missing People.

Hours before he disappeared, Jack showed his mum Catherine how he had attached an Apple AirTag to his car keys.

The law conversion student boarded a bus for the party with the “fully functioning” tracking device in his pocket.

Catherine messaged him at around 1am asking if he wanted a lift home from a house party in the Hotwells neighbourhood.

Jack said he was fine and would get a taxi home – before vanishing just hours later.

Catherine believes data from the AirTag could solve the mystery of Jack’s disappearance.

But the mum said cops told her they couldn’t access the tracker because of privacy laws.

The family pressed cops only to be told the AirTag was not transmitting data because its battery was flat.

But Catherine dismissed the claim, pointing out the AirTag had been charged before Jack went out at 6pm.

She said Apple experts told her the AirTag would send a phone notification even if its battery actually was running low.

Cops said more than 20 different teams and departments have been involved in the probe into Jack’s disappearance.

A spokesperson said more than 100 hours of CCTV have been reviewed.

They added that cops have carried out 200 hours of searches on the River Avon and the surrounding banks along with 40 land searches.

Cops have received almost 100 calls from the public with possible sightings, and eight media appeals have been issued.

Assistant Chief Constable Joanne Hall said earlier this month: “Our staff and officers remain committed to doing everything we can to find Jack.

“We do not underestimate what a distressing time this has been, and continues to be, for his family.

“When I look at missing persons investigations in Avon and Somerset over the last year, we’ve had around 5,500.

“Missing people are somebody’s loved ones, they’re somebody’s family, and we don’t close the door on that.”