Diver missing off North Wall

| 21/09/2009

(CNS): UPDATED — Tuesday 10:00pm. Police said on Tuesday evening that the multi-agency search operation for a missing 60 year old man from Las Vegas had continued throughout the  day but was unsuccessful. The diver, who is visiting the Cayman Islands from the US with his wife, went missing on a boat dive yesterday (Monday, 21 September) at Eagle Ray Path, North Wall, just outside the Main Channel. Police said however, that local dive organisation, Dive Tech would be conducting a specialist deep water dive on Wednesday in the area where the man had reportedly disappeared.

Reports of the missing diver were first made to the 911 Emergency Communications Centre when it received a call from a staff member of Divers Down at the Treasure Island Resort at around 9.40am on Monday.

A search operation commenced involving private dive boats, Department of Environment boats, the joint Customs, Immigration and Police Marine Unit aboard Tornado and Defender and the Air Support Unit.

The Marine Unit dive team has also carried out a search of the area. Unfortunately the search has so far proved negative police stated adding that they had been told the man was last seen at around 9.20am when the group was ascending and has not been seen since.

The man is described as wearing a short black wet suit with grey trim and a tank with a yellow top. All boats in the area are asked to look out for the diver and call 911 or the Port Authority should they spot anything.

Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their in formation lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.Please note that the missing diver has been confirmed as a 60-year-old man from Las Vegas, USA. The diver is visiting the Cayman Islands with his wife.

 

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  1. Anonymous says:

    a lovely service last night was held in memory of this wonderful man.  I am blessed to have been part of your family.

  2. love you like a brother says:

    I can not believe this happened. We have been friends since third grade, we have been through so much. My heart is broken, to your family I am thinking of each of you. To your wife, I will be here to help do anything she needs. I believe in miracles, and I am praying for you and your family

  3. Anonymous says:

    Any word on Wednesday’s specialized deep water dive?

  4. Anonymous says:

    Dear God, please carry our dear friend to safety.  We will be waiting for him.    And Bless his family and give them the strength and faith to help them through this ordeal. 

  5. Anonymous says:

    Our thoughts and prayers are with you!!I pray a miracle happens, you will be found. 

  6. Anonymous says:

    No depths of the sea can hide your smile or the light in your eyes.  There are too many golf courses yet to be played and too many books you still wanted to write.  We know you are out there waiting to be found to return home to all who love you.  Hang in there and know how much we are missing you!

    To his beautiful wife – a dear friend to us all – and to all his family, we are here for you when you return home, and are keeping vigil that this can still turn out well. (With all the prayers being sent your way, he should be lifted up so he can walk across the water.)

    – co-worker

  7. Anonymous says:

    You are both in my prayers.  God willing they will find him  and bring him back to us.  He is a wonderful friend.  Hang in there they are coming for you.

  8. Rockee says:

    We need you to pull through! Let a miracle happen!

  9. Rockee says:

    Come on I know your out there! You can pull through thus! We will find you! Just hang in! Your buddy Rock is not giving up on this miracle!

  10. Anonymous says:

    As friends of the family we are also praying that he will be found and for all the family  members, our prayers are with you as well-may they give you hope and strength.

    • Concern Native says:

      My heart felt sympathy go out to the family and friends of this person. I feel your grief as I experienced a similar calamity back in the 70’s when I lost a friend and my buddy to such an experience although in this case we were diving black coral in deep water.

      That said however, I must question the qualifications of many of these persons taking out divers all by themselves. Who is regulating this industry which was developed by the likes of Briggs, Evans, Soto, Ebanks and Melburn? I have witnessed on many ocassions dive boats abandoned while divers are down under. Just suppose a problem occured down under and the boat got unhitched somehow and was floating off into the horizon, what would you think would happen? 

      Let’s regulate this industry before it’s no longer a part of our Native land. No longer are the days for dive master to be real estate brokers, accountants, doctors, nurses, lapdancers, etc,etc,etc here on vacation and looking to avoid the cold weather and high taxes.

      There is only two recommended dive companies in Cayman. As a former local scuba diver and avid boater I can only truly recommend Dive Cayman and Sun Set House who has the qualifications in this great Caymanian tradition. The rest are fly by night operations and be very careful with their operations as many of them still have lots to learn about this delicate industry.

  11. Anonymous says:

    The diver and his family are in my thoughts and prayers.  — A coworker of his 

  12. MDU says:

    Is there an update on the status of this gentleman? To his family and friends, our family prayers are with you.May God give you comfort at this time.

    CNS: We’ll update as soon as we get something.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Our thoughts and prayers are with you…….  You both are dearly loved!

  14. da wa ya get says:

    I am also praying for this man and his family. May God be with you all.

  15. Anonymous says:

    To the friends and family of the missing diver. Your friends back home are praying for his safe return. Our thought and prayers are with you as you go through tis struggle. To the search and rescue teams a debt of gratitude for your efforts in trying to locate this wonderful man.

  16. Anonymous says:

    As a member of this family, I would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers.  Please, please, please keep them coming.  We still have hope. 

  17. anonymous1 says:

    I pray for the safe find of this man, and my thoughts and prayers are with this family, cayman shares your pain.

  18. Anonymous says:

    It is a tragic situation and our prayers go out to the friends and family of this man.

  19. his friends says:

    We are praying that our dear friend will be found. Thank you to everyone in the Caymans for your efforts to find him.

  20. Anonymous says:

    It is always so sad when we hear of our visitors having mishaps like this. This must be so frightening for his family and my prayers go out for them at this difficult time.