Cayman’s Coast Guard and RCIPS Air Operations Unit have been combing local waters and along shorelines in search of a suspect who jumped overboard off East End during a drug bust on Tuesday.
Police said in a statement they are seeking the assistance of the public to locate and identify the missing male who is described as being tall, dark-skinned with long dreadlocks, wearing shorts, and believed to be known as ‘Blacks’ or ‘Paul’.
In the statement, police said Coast Guard officers encountered a suspicious vessel approximately two nautical miles off the coast of East End. When they approached the boat two of the occupants jumped overboard, taking packages with them.
An immediate search-and-rescue operation began for the two men, one of whom was rescued after he had drifted away from the suspicious vessel, but the second suspect could not be located.
The search for the second suspect was abandoned Tuesday due to deteriorating weather conditions and “treacherous” sea swells of 7-9 feet every five seconds, the RCIPS said.
A decision was made to take the Coast Guard vessel to the safest harbour, to ensure the health and safety of the rescued man and two others who had remained on the suspicious vessel, as well as the Coast Guard crew.
Police said they discovered numerous packages of ganja in the vessel.
Searches resumed early Wednesday as RCIPS and Coast Guard officers, assisted by the Air Operations Unit, combed the sea and shoreline.
The three detained males remain in custody under investigation. The enquiry into the importation of the drugs, together with the search-and-rescue operation, continues under the oversight of the Office of the Ombudsman, the RCIPS statement said.
An RCIPS Major Incident Room has been activated. Anyone with information about the missing man and incident is asked to contact the RCIPS at 649-2930.
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