Urgent appeal to missing boy, 12, who vanished on freezing cold night in east London

"Police are urgently appealing for help to find a 12-year-old boy from east London who has gone missing on a freezing cold night. Yafee was last seen by a family member just after 5pm in Khartoum Road, Newham, which is off Barking Road just south of Plaistow Park. His family have been searching the local area and speaking to his friends but he has not been found. The boy was reported missing to police at 8.38pm."

"With every hour that passes since Yafee was last seen, we are becoming increasingly worried. This disappearance is entirely out of character and on what is a very cold night he is potentially alone on the streets of east London in his school uniform with no phone or other means to seek help. Temperatures fell to as low as -3C in London overnight."

"I'm appealing to anyone who has been in the area in recent hours and who thinks they may have seen Yafee to come forward immediately. Your information could be vital to help us focus our search. I'm also appealing to those people who are up and about at this hour the cab and bus drivers, people doing deliveries or those travelling home from the night shift or travelling in for an early start. Anyone who sees Yafee should call 999 immediately"

A 12-year-old boy named Yafee went missing in east London after being last seen by a family member just after 5pm on Khartoum Road, Newham, near Plaistow Park. The boy was reported missing to police at 8.38pm and as of 4am officers reported no confirmed sightings. Temperatures fell to about -3C overnight and he may be alone in his school uniform without a phone. Authorities asked anyone in the area, including cab and bus drivers, delivery workers, and night-shift commuters, to report immediate sightings to 999 (ref 7098/04DEC) or other information to 101.

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