© Unknown. Supt Liz McAinsh from Police Scotland appealed to the public to ''keep their eyes open'' for missing Mikaeel.
Mikaeel Kular was last seen going to bed in Ferry Gait Crescent at about 21:00 on Wednesday but when his family woke up he was not in the house. Supt Liz McAinsh said anyone who lives and works in the area should "look out for this wee boy".
Mikaeel is 3ft tall and was possibly wearing a beige hooded jacket. Police sources have indicated that an operation in Waterfront Gait, a mile from Mikaeel's home, was not connected with the investigation into the boy's disappearance.
There, officers detained a man as a witness in connection with an "unconnected" inquiry. He may also have on brown shoes, blue jogging bottoms and nightwear.
Supt McAinsh asked local people to check their gardens and outbuildings. She said anyone walking in the area should pay particular attention to places such as public parks.
Mikaeel, who is British with Asian parents, was at home with his mother and four siblings, including his twin sister, last night.
Officers are speaking to "all family members" about the disappearance. Coastguard teams and lifeboats have been searching the shoreline in the Cramond and Drylaw area.
© Unknown.Mikaeel Kular was last seen going to bed on Wednesday evening
Supt Ainsh said: "Mikaeel is a three-year-old boy who was put to bed by his mother at 9 o'clock last night. "When she woke up this morning at 07:15, Mickaeel wasn't in his bed and is not within his house."
"Police have been involved since that time. We have a live ongoing search within the local area."
Police Scotland said officers were particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen a child walking on his own in the Muirhouse and Pennywell areas of Edinburgh on Thursday morning.
Supt McAinsh told reporters: "We are focusing our search at the moment on the Pennywell area and the Muirhouse area of Drylaw in Edinburgh. "We are asking everybody who lives in that area, who passes through that area, or who works in that area to keep their eyes open for this wee boy." She added: "There is no evidence to suggest criminality at the moment but clearly we are keeping an open mind.
"We're a big organisation now with Police Scotland and we are using all of the resources at our disposal to look for this three-year-old boy."
Temperatures overnight in Edinburgh dropped to 2.3C (36F) by 04:00, according to the Met Office.
The Police Scotland helicopter has been involved in the search operation.
Supt McAinsh said: "It was his mum who has reported he was missing to us - she is obviously distraught. He has a wee three-year-old twin sister, so his wee twin is obviously going to be very concerned about where he is.
"It must be awful. As a mother myself I just can't imagine how I would feel if my wee boy went missing.
"Clearly, as everybody out there will be able to relate to, his mother is distraught and she's trying to give us all the information she can to help us in our inquiry."
The youngster attends a local nursery and Ms McAinsh said: "They say Mikaeel is a friendly, playful wee boy and they are obviously concerned for his safety as well and will do everything they can to help us in finding Mikaeel."
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