Special forces scour mountains for Luis Diaz's dad as police offer search update

31 October 2023 , 09:21

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Special forces scour mountains for Luis Diaz's dad as police offer search update

Colombian authorities have been searching a cloud forest as the search for Luis Diaz's father goes on.

Luis Manuel Diaz was taken alongside his wife Cilenis Marulanda near their home in Barrancas over the weekend. She was eventually rescued by police in the country but the search for Diaz’s Dad goes on.

The operation to find him is now involving Colombia ’s elite Jungle Commandos, a military special forces unit whose members have received training from the US and the UK’s Special Air Service. They are focusing on the Perija Mountains, on the Colombia-Venezuela border.

Colombia’s National Police director William Rene Salamanca Ramirez insisted: “The information we have is that they are still in Colombian territory but the search is continuing.” He added: “These men can be in areas like this for a fortnight with just one field ration. They are trained and prepared for that.”

Diaz has been told not to travel to Colombia amid the ongoing search. He was told the measures put in place were for his own safety. There is also a £40,000 reward being offered by police for the safe return of Diaz’s Dad.

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Meanwhile, Colombia’s football federation has released a statement urging the captors to release him. It read: “We ask the captors of Luis Manuel Diaz, father of Luis F. Diaz, to release him immediately, without conditions. Football is peace. Luis, we are with you. Colombia is with you.”

Diogo Jota pays tribute to Luis Diaz after scoring against Nottingham Forest (Getty Images)

Diaz was left out of the Liverpool side over the weekend as the Reds dismissed Nottingham Forest 3-0 at Anfield. Diogo Jota opened the scoring for the Merseysiders and celebrated by lifting a Diaz shirt into the air.

Speaking after the game, Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp said: "We played in the most difficult circumstance I've ever had. It was a really difficult day, which ended with a good result.

"The best thing we could do for our brother was that we win the game and distract him a little bit maybe, all the rest was super special in the most negative understanding. After more than 1,000 games you would think you have experienced everything, but no.

"But it's not about us, it's about 'Lucho' and his family, and we all pray and hope that everything will be fine. What we can do, we will do, we've done already in the club and the only thing we could do today was fight for their brother - and that's what they did."

Liverpool are next back in action on Wednesday evening as they take on Bournemouth in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. Diaz appears highly unlikely to be considered for inclusion once again as the search for his dad goes on.

Gerard Couzens