The son of an Arab billionaire is being sought by police over the death in London of Martine Vik Magnussen, a Norwegian student.

Farouk Abdulhak, 21, was with Miss Vik Magnussen on the night that she disappeared. Her body was found in the basement of the luxury apartment block where he lived.

The young man’s father, Shaher Abdulhak, is one of the richest men in Yemen, with a business empire that includes oil, tourism and soft-drink bottling across the Middle East and North Africa.

Miss Vik Magnussen, 23, was last seen alive at 3am on Friday leaving the Maddox nightclub in Mayfair, Central London, with an Arab man. Her body was found on Sunday morning hidden beneath rubble in the apartment block in Fitzrovia.

Scotland Yard said yesterday that they were urgently seeking to speak to Mr Abdulhak. He flew to Yemen on Saturday morning.

Detectives said that the pair were studying international business management at the Regent’s Business School in Regent’s Park, Central London. They knew each other socially and he is well known to her friends.

Detective Chief Inspector Jessica Wadsworth said: “The death of Martine remains unexplained and is the subject of further scientific testing. We wish to interview Mr Abdulhak as a matter of urgency to further investigate what happened to Martine in her final hours and how her death came about. We believe he holds important information, which could assist us. He has many contacts in the UK and internationally and we are appealing for anyone who can assist in tracing him to contact the incident room on 020-8358 0300.”

She added: “The overwhelming support and condolences being received by Martine’s family are testament to the number of lives she touched. She was a very popular young woman with many friends and a vibrant personality.”

Miss Magnussen’s flatmate said yesterday that the dead woman had known Mr Abdulhak for about a year. Alexandra Steen said: “I know for a fact that Martine and Farouk were only ever just friends. They had never been romantically involved. I didn’t know him very well. We were Facebook friends, though — that is until he deleted his account completely the day after Martine disappeared.”

Mr Abdulhak’s father, who is known in Yemen as the “King of Sugar”, founded the Shaher Trading Company in 1963. He said yesterday: “I do not know about these allegations. I have not talked to my son but at this point I do not think it is wise of me to make any comments.”

Mr Abdulhak had lived in London since he was a child and is also believed to have spent time in Egypt with his mother’s family. He was staying with two Middle Eastern friends in a rented £600-a-week flat.

A spokesman for the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in London said: “We have not received any communication from the police. As far as I know there is no extradition treaty between Yemen and the British Government.”

Miss Magnussen’s father, Odd Petter Magnussen, paid tribute to his daughter last night. “Martine’s exceptionally warm and charismatic personality struck anybody she met. She left an impression of a tolerant, sympathetic and loveable person, considered as pure ‘sunshine’ in any social context. Martine meant a lot to each and every family member. The loss has created an emptiness that will never leave us.”

An anonymous source told the NTB Norwegian news agency that the victim and her friends used to go out with rich Arab men in London. The men were regulars at the Maddox, which has attracted celebrities such as Madonna and P Diddy.

Tarbjorn Holt, the vicar at the Norwegian St Olav’s church, in Rotherhithe, southeast London, who has been comforting Mr Magnussen and his former wife, Kristin Vik Ronnaug, said that he was helping detectives to find some of her friends who returned to Norway after the death.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Anne Darwin's performance of a lifetime
• Renaissance for canals as new boaters come aboard
• Case study: forced to marry a cousin at 17