ABERDEEN   –  The body of a woman has been found near where two missing sisters were last seen in Aberdeen. Henrietta and Eliza Huszti – both 32 and from a set of triplets – were last sighted near the River Dee on 7 January. Police Scotland said the body had been recovered after being seen in the river, near Queen Elizabeth Bridge, at about 07:55. Officers said that while the woman had not yet been formally identified, the family of Henrietta Huszti had been informed and that the search for her sister Eliza was continuing. Police said inquiries were onging but that there were no apparent suspicious circumstances. Supt David Howieson said: “Our thoughts are with the Huszti family today.”

“We are keeping them fully updated following this recovery and the further search activity, which is ongoing. “Our priority remains finding both of the sisters and search has focused on the River Dee and will do so in the coming days.” He said the river was tidal in that area and that conditions were “challenging”, but that they would make every effort to locate both sisters. And he added: “We know how much of an impact this has had in Aberdeen and much further afield.”

A police boat has been searching the river and coastguard teams were also at the scene. The disappearance of the two sisters – originally from Hungary – sparked a major search operation earlier this month. They were last seen in the early hours of 7 January, when they crossed the Victoria Bridge and turned right onto a footpath next to the river heading towards Aberdeen Boat Club. The Victoria Bridge and Queen Elizabeth Bridge are about half a mile apart on the River Dee. Earlier this week Police Scotland said searches of the river and the harbour area had ended. But the force said inquiries would be ongoing and coastal areas north and south of the city would continue to be searched. Detectives previously revealed the sisters visited the Victoria Bridge the day before they disappeared.

They also texted their landlady from the bridge area in the early hours of 7 January to say they would not return to their flat. The sisters moved to Scotland about 10 years ago. Officers had been treating it as a missing persons inquiry and not a criminal investigation. The sisters had not told relatives they planned to imminently move out of their rented Aberdeen flat. They had been saving up to buy a property but their brother Jozsef told BBC News earlier this month it was “strange” the family did not know they had decided to end their tenancy. (BBC)

Photo: Henrietta and Eliza Huszti. (Huszti family)

LONDON  –  The Duke of York was in contact with the US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein longer than he had previously admitted, emails published in court documents appear to show. “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!” said an email sent to Epstein from a “member of the British Royal Family”, believed to be Prince Andrew. The court documents, from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), show the email as being sent in February 2011.

In his BBC Newsnight interview, Prince Andrew had said he had not seen or spoken to Epstein after going to his house in New York in December 2010, a meeting which he described as a “wrong decision”. The email was revealed in a court case involving the FCA and banker Jes Staley, who was banned from senior positions after he mischaracterised his relationship with Epstein. Staley is appealing against the FCA, but the financial watchdog’s evidence about Staley’s contact with Epstein also contains emails relating to a “member of the British Royal Family”, showing what seem to be friendly and familiar exchanges.

In June 2010, Epstein emailed: “If you can find time to show jes around with vera that would be fun.. he told me he ran into you tonight,” in messages first reported by business news agency Bloomberg. The Royal Family member responded by asking who Vera was, and a few days later Epstein replied: “my future ex-wife, i know jes and she would love to see home”. A dinner then seems to have been arranged.In Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview, he was asked about the extent of his association with wealthy financier Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting a further trial.Andrew said he had ceased contact with Epstein “after I was aware that he was under investigation and that was later in 2006 and I wasn’t in touch with him again until 2010”.

A photographer had captured Prince Andrew and Epstein walking together in New York’s Central Park in December 2010, while the prince stayed at Epstein’s house. “Was that visit, December of 2010, the only time you saw him after he was convicted?” interviewer Emily Maitlis had asked the royal. Prince Andrew replied: “yes”. Maitlis then asked: “Did you see him or speak to him again?”, to which Andrew responded: “No.”

But emails a few months after that New York meeting suggest, if not a direct conversation, there were still friendly exchanges. According to the court documents, on 27 February 2011, Epstein emailed: “jes staley will be in London on next Tuesday afternoon, if you have time.” There was a reply from the “member of the British Royal Family” with a question: “Jes is coming on 1st March or next week?” The court documents say there was a “discussion of press articles” and then the message: “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”. The Duke of York’s office has been contacted for comment. (BBC)

Photo: Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein. (Alamy)

A plane carrying six people has crashed in a residential area of Philadelphia causing chaotic scenes on the ground. The Learjet 55 aircraft departed the Northeast Philadelphia Airport on Friday evening and been travelling to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri before it lost control shortly after takeoff. 

The Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that there were six people onboard the jet. It is unclear if they managed to eject or were able to escape. 

In their initial statement, FAA had originally reported that there was only two people on board. 

The jet was operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, and according to a statement from them was transporting a young girl who had been receiving treatment. 

Four crew members had been onboard the flight, alongside the young girl, who remains unknown, and her mother. They were travelling home to Tijuana, Mexico.

They said: ‘At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified. (dailymail)