Search Continues for Missing 85-Year-Old Woman

The search remains ongoing for Eliza Annie "Anne" Anderson-Buckland, who has been missing since Monday 8 January 2024.

The 85-year-old woman went missing from her retirement home in Junglinster on Monday evening. The police issued a missing person's report the following morning.

On the morning of Thursday 11 January 2024, her son, Tom Buckland, who had returned to Luxembourg from the United Kingdom earlier in the week, coordinated a larger volunteer search party following his own efforts to find his mother and in response to requests from people wishing to help. Volunteers gathered at Junglinster town hall at 10:30 on Thursday.

According to Father Michael Cusack, Priest of the International English-Speaking Catholic Community, who was involved in the search, there was a "great turnout" on Thursday, with volunteers of all ages and backgrounds continuing their efforts until nightfall. He added that police officers had been present with search and rescue dogs as well. The search mainly covered rural forest walks, as Anne is a "great walker".

Despite all efforts, the 85-year-old woman was still missing as of Thursday evening. Another possible volunteer search party is yet to be confirmed.* The missing individual is described as slim and about 1.6 metres tall, with grey hair and she usually wears red glasses. She speaks mainly English and requires medical assistance. Anyone with relevant information should contact the Museldall police station via tel.:  244-701000 or via email: Police.MUSELDALL@police.etat.lu.

Eliza Annie Anderson-Buckland, originally from Scotland, and her family have strong links to the international community in Luxembourg. Her late husband, Colin Buckland, taught for many years in the European School and Anne herself is a parishioner of the International English-Speaking Community of the Parish of Luxembourg Notre Dame. According to the latter, she is often seen wearing a hat and "sit[ting] in the front seat in the church in Belair". Father Michael Cusack noted that a dedicated prayer service took place in St Alphonse Chapel on the evening of Wednesday 10 January 2024.

*Update: Later on Thursday evening, it was confirmed to Chronicle.lu that another search party is being organised on Friday 12 January 2024. A dog search on Thursday afternoon reportedly "strongly indicated" that Anne had recently walked in a specific area to the west of Junglinster. "Fit" and "agile" volunteers, who are able to tackle routes with steep slopes and heavy undergrowth, are invited to gather outside the town hall in Junglinster at 09:30 on Friday for a briefing and planning. The police are also expected to be once again actively searching for the missing woman on Friday, possibly also with the assistance of a helicopter.