Corrie Mckeague disappearance: The impact of social media on the investigation

Ten years after the disappearance of RAF gunner Corrie Mckeague, the role of social media in his investigation has been highlighted. Mckeague, 23, vanished in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, in September 2016 after a night of drinking.

His mother, Nicola Urquhart, utilized the internet to launch the ‘Find Corrie’ Facebook page, which grew to 120,000 followers. This online movement, including the ‘Corrie’s Army’ supporters and the hashtag #FindCorrie, helped maintain public pressure on authorities. While Urquhart previously criticized the Suffolk Police for their handling of the case, she eventually accepted the findings of a judicial inquiry.

The inquiry concluded that Mckeague died after entering a Biffa waste container that was subsequently emptied into a refuse truck. Although Mckeague was officially declared dead in 2022, his body has never been recovered.