News reports have been trickling in over the past few days on search and rescue efforts, however, sadly, up until now, there has yet to be any sightings of the 25-year-old engineer.

David and Ben Gaskell, Andrew’s father and brother respectively are now in Sarawak to help in the ongoing search and rescue efforts.

A family friend of the Gaskells, Jess Tolputt shared a photo posted by RTM Sarawak’s Facebook on her own Facebook page, saying, “Andrew’s dad and brother have joined the search in Malaysia (pictured front right) please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers!”

Gaskell was travelling through Sarawak and was reported missing by his family on Oct 20 after he had gone on a solo hike in the Mulu National Park that day.

Gaskell had been documenting his travels on his blog, detailing his adventures which began in August.

In June, Gaskell wrote of his coming travel plans.

“In August 2016 I will be embarking on a journey beginning somewhere in Asia and heading in a generally westward direction for an indefinite period of time,” he wrote.

An engineer by profession, Gaskell described how his career had brought him very little fulfilment. However, Gaskell exhibited a quality, apparent through his writing, that he was not a pessimist.

He found the silver lining in the choices he made, saying, “Despite my disinterest in my chosen career, I couldn’t have asked for a better boss or group of colleagues (the people at work were easily the best part of the job). They truly were a great bunch of people and I wish them all the best for the future.”

Gaskell also hoped that maybe in the course of his travels, he would come to some sort of conclusion “as to who I am and what I want to do with my life.”

Later in August, Gaskell shared his travel post titled: ‘Please lah…I’m a Sarawakian’.

In this post, he shared with readers how he spent some time in Kuching and later also visited the Semenggoh Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

Already incorporating the Malaysian slang ‘lah’ in his writing, it appeared Gaskell was getting a taste of the Malaysian Borneo, courtesy of the locals who hosted him along his way.

Gaskell described one host, Rosemary as being extremely accommodating, accompanying him to various places, which included the Annah Rais Longhouse.

On Sept 15, Gaskell updated his readers, saying he had been using Kuching as a base for a month and a half.

“Brian and Rosemary have been the perfect hosts (despite the fact that I neglected Rosemary’s beloved pot plants). They’ve taken me to numerous eateries around the place and I’ve been entertained by several wilderness experiences from orangutans at Semenggoh, waterfalls everywhere from Kubah National Park to Gunung Gading National Park, strangling trees at Matang Wildlife Centre, to a crazy mountain bike race at Batang Ai,” Gaskell eloquently wrote, describing his stay in a captivating manner, injecting humour here and there.

Leaving Kuching, Gaskell told of his travels to Sibu that involved a five-hour express ferry ride.

On Malaysia Day, Sept 16, Gaskell went to Kapit where he met someone named Joe and ended up spending time with a Kayan family and later an Iban community.

“The day has been as unpredictable as ever. Simply brilliant. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend Malaysia Day. You couldn’t make this stuff up,” Gaskell summed up, when relating his Sept 16 Malaysia Day experiences.

The next day, his newfound friends took him to what he described as an ‘exquisite waterfall’ in a jungle.

“By the time I have left the jungle, I am Kayan. I have been dubbed ‘Uvat’. I have a brother and two Kayan sisters; or perhaps a wife and a sister-in-law? This detail remains somewhat ambiguous,” he wrote.

Gaskell’s last post, for now, was uploaded on Oct 13 where he told of his travels from Kapit to Belaga. From there he ventured to Bintulu where he met more Malaysian friends, one of whom he described fondly as a fine human being, kind and generous.

The person was Anne, someone he approached during a kite festival in Bintulu.

“As the kite flying proceeds, I approach a local and initiate conversation. Anne seems a little surprised at being approached by a complete stranger. However, I’d much rather maintain the illusion(?) that she is flattered that I have chosen to speak with her.

“A school teacher from Peninsular Malaysia, Miss Anne has lived in Bintulu for only a couple of months,” Gaskell said, later saying how Anne offered to give him a little tour of Bintulu.

His post on his blog andrewgaskell.weebly.com, ended with Gaskell saying he would be on his way to the Niah National Park. He described Bintulu as brilliant, fun, “gila.”

“Some great friendships have just commenced and I’ve been adopted into another Sarawakian family,” Gaskell had said.

Although he did not update his travels on the blog after Oct 13, news reports said he flew to Mulu from Miri on Oct 18. The Borneo Post said he was staying with a friend, Timothy Kalang while he was in Mulu.

Gaskell’s last post was made on Oct 15 on Facebook where he said he had spent six nights at the Niah National Park.

“This place is possibly a photographer’s dream. If I run into a photographer one day I will ask…,” he shared.

According to The Borneo Post, the search and rescue efforts will concentrate on the Mulu Summit and the trail leading to it.

Here’s praying that Gaskell will be found safe, and soon.