Search stalled in bad weather

(CNS): Updated – Police have now confirmed that Tuesday's search has also been called off. Officials were forced to abandon the search Monday for 31-year-old Nathan Clarke, the British teachers's aide who went missing over a week ago from Seven Mile Beach near Calico Jack’s bar. A police spokesperson confirmed that no searches had taken place on Monday and the situation would be re-assessed on Tuesday morning. Nathan’s phone was found in the ocean some 50 metres out and about ten feet down last Wednesday but despite one of the largest searches for a missing person ever seen in Cayman, there has been no other trace of the West Bay resident.

Friends and family held a candlelight vigil for Nathan on Sunday evening after some 520 volunteers and 39 police officers had spent 28,000 man hours searching for him over the last week.

Nathan was last seen on 26 February close to the water’s edge by his girlfriend Lisa Beck. Despite the extensive search on land and sea and scrutiny of hours of CCTV footage, there has been no sign of him.

His phone was discovered by a cruise ship passenger on Wednesday but his black fossil wallet and a pair of black Nautica sunglasses, which he may have also had with him that night, have not yet been found. When he disappeared, Nathan was wearing only a pair of beige shorts.

The disappearance of the British man has captured international media attention and in particular in his native UK. The volunteers have also utilized the social networking resource Facebook to raise money and support for the continued search to find Nathan, who is originally from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire.

Volunteers said that land searches will continue regardless of weather conditions but they also hope to get back to the ocean searchesas well. Anyone who can spare the time is asked to report to the command centre at 10am Tuesday (6 March).

Anyone with information can call the RCIPS on 949 3999 and send images to nathanclarkeinfo@yahoo.com or for details of the search visit the Find Nathan Facebook page.