Dad's fear missing Ibiza man Ben Garland may never be found

Ben Garland went missing in Ibiza during Storm Gloria in January

The father of a man last seen in Ibiza as a storm hit the island says he fears his son's body may never be found.

Ben Garland, 25, from Wiltshire, has not been seen since riding a motorbike during Storm Gloria in January.

His father Mark said the coronavirus lockdown had hampered searches adding he believed the chances of finding him were "getting slimmer" by the day.

Local emergency helpline service 112 Emergency said he disappeared in the Portinatx area on Ibiza's north coast.

Searches of the island have turned up 10 other bodies, but none of them have been Mr Garland.

"Every time one is found I get a call, and my heart stops but it's never the news I need to hear," said Mr Garland's father, who is now in the UK.

Ben Garland's father Mark said locals and police in Ibiza had "given everything" to find his son

He said searches had been "intense" in the early days when Mr Garland, from Southwick, went missing.

"But when coronavirus came around, it knocked us for six," he said.

"Everything got stopped. The only searches going on now are routine patrols of the island.

"Now I'm at the stage, four months into this all, there is a chance Ben may never be found and that's what I'm really struggling with."

Ibiza lockdown

Mr Garland had been planning to take part in a charity motorbike ride in memory of his son, but his theory test for his motorbike licence has been cancelled four times because of the coronavirus lockdown.

The bike ride is now being rescheduled to a later date.

Spain has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

It imposed some of the toughest measures on the continent, including keeping children indoors for six weeks.

It is now easing the lockdown in two-week blocks but not everywhere at the same time.

On Monday, Ibiza entered phase two of the de-escalation lockdown - allowing shopping centres to reopen and gatherings of up to 15 people.