Anton Green had been living in Colombia before his family lost contact with him in August (Image: Jam Press)
A body has been found in the search for a British man who had been missing for months in Colombia, leaving his devastated family “trying to come to terms with what’s happened”. Anton Green, 43, from Manchester, had been living in the South American country for around two-and-a-half years before suddenly stopping contact with his loved ones in August. His family have now been told that a body discovered in Colombia is believed to be Anton. The devastating development came just hours after his relatives renewed their appeal for information about his whereabouts. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has confirmed that the body of a British national has been found in Colombia with officials supporting the family.
Anton had regularly kept in touch with his relatives before his disappearance, making the sudden loss of contact particularly alarming. His mum, Nylva McKie-Williams, previously revealed that the last thing her son said to her in August was: “We will speak at the weekend.”
Anton had been in weekly contact with his family, but his calls home suddenly stopped at the beginning of August. Nylva said she became increasingly worried after an earthquake struck another part of Colombia just days after their final conversation.
Recalling their last exchange, she said: “We ended the call by saying: ‘We will speak at the weekend’.” She added: “It just seems very, very strange and it’s so unlike him not to be in contact with us.”
Nylva reported Anton missing to Greater Manchester Police on August 10 and also alerted the British embassy.
Before the latest development, she said she felt her son had been “forgotten” and claimed the family had received little support.
Anton’s family said his disappearance was completely out of character (Image: Jam Press)
She said: “Not knowing is the hard bit; where he is, what he’s doing. It’s just the unknown. I want him to be found and I would like the [British] embassy, the police, Interpol [to] make it a priority, not just another name in the missing system.”
Nylva said efforts in Colombia had begun but had been slow to get under way.
She said a man living in the country had taken up the family’s appeal and become a “rock” and a “godsend” to them.
According to Nylva, he contacted the General Attorney’s Office, which helped prompt movement in the case.
She said at the time: “We’re now getting a bit of feedback as to actually what they’re doing.”
The family’s search also received support last month from Manchester United and England star Marcus Rashford, who described Anton as a “family friend”.
Anton spoke fluent Spanish and had settled in Colombia while travelling in South America (Image: Jam Press)
Anton’s brother, Ro-Shaun Williams, had previously been part of Manchester United’s youth set-up alongside Rashford.
His sister, Sian Tuohey, described Anton as a “happy, decent guy” who had settled in Colombia while travelling.
The fluent Spanish speaker had been staying around Fontibón and Mesitas del Colegio before his disappearance, while Sian said he may have been planning to travel to neighbouring Ecuador.
In an appeal for information, she said: “Please share, as the police are keen for any information from anyone who may have spoken to him prior to him going missing.”
Police are understood to have told Anton’s family about the discovery of a body in the early hours of Thursday. His relatives are now awaiting further information from the Attorney General’s Office in Bogota.
An FCDO spokesman said: “We are aware of the death of a British national in Colombia and are providing support to their family.”
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