A young Highland architect was on his way home last night after being reported missing in India.
Concern was raised for Lachie Stewart last week after he failed to make contact with his family in Ross-shire as his 30th birthday passed.
But his family confirmed that he had been found in a post on social media on Saturday.
Yesterday, his mother Annie Stewart said that she and Lachie’s father, also Lachlan, had made contact with their son.
She added that her son was due to travel home and said she was “delighted” by the outcome.
The family are the founders of famous Anta Scotland pottery and textiles business in Ross-shire.
They live near Portmahomack.
Mr Stewart jnr had been in India since June 12 when he travelled to Mumbai to work for Bijoy Jain, an architect at Studio Mumbai.
He then traveled north to Bhogpur in the Punjab region of the country to work on a contract for a client called Chiaki Maki.
Concern was raised for Mr Stewart’s welfare when Ms Maki emailed his parents to say she had last seen her son on December 9.
Mr Stewart had “looked well” but reported that his passport was missing and that he had no money.
He is understood to have taken a taxi to Delhi after that.
He had been in regular contact with his family by phone and e-mail until his contract finished in mid-October, when communication ceased with friends and family until a single contact on December 7.
Reports of his disappearance sparked a huge international appeal for information on social media – and hundreds of well-wishers then expressed their delight that Mr Stewart had been found again.
One said: “Thank goodness. Now to await hearing what has young Lachie been up to. Such a relief that he is safe.”
The family are well known thanks to the success of the Anta business, which opened its first shop in 1984.
The company is a large local employer with around 40 staff making pottery and textiles from materials sourced in Scotland.
