Land search for Harris ends, focus moves to recovery
(CNS): The intense land search for Andrel Harris, the missing local reporter who was last seen Tuesday night on Pedro Castle Road, has come to an end as police switch the operation to a sea recovery. Police said that recent information had led them to recover a mobile phone from the water, which will now be examined by forensic specialists. But it appears the phone belongs to Harris, which, added to other findings, has led to the change in operational focus.
Based on the evidence collected so far, combined with the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and the length of time that has now passed, officials have indicated that they no longer expect to find Harris alive. His loved ones have been informed of this development.
An RCIPS family liaison officer is supporting them at this time, and search parties have been briefed on the change of direction. The RCIPS appreciates the impact this news has on the family and friends of Harris and the wider community, and requests that people remain sensitive to the matter, particularly with online activity.
“The RCIPS wishes to again thank all those who have helped with search efforts so far, particularly those members of the public who have given their time and equipment to assist with the search, and to our partner agencies for their expertise,” the police said.
The land search effort has been diligent and intense. Volunteers who spoke with CNS commended the organisation and coordination of the search effort, which included dozens of people covering the entire Pedro area. The search covered a huge amount of ground in detail and in a professional manner, those involved have said.
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Category: Local News
There are too many disappearances and unsolved cases in the Cayman Islands. It reminds me of Mexico where the cartel are in control. Did they ever find the school teacher that disappeared on 7m beach? These are not all suicides.
A similar situation occurred on Cayman Brac some years ago.
Comments here indicate that the initial sea search for Harris may have neglected to take into account current, tidal drift, and windage, with the search area confined to the immediate area from which it is believed he entered the sea.
A similar situation occurred on Cayman Brac some years ago involving Linvol Smith’s tragic disappearance. I watched and noted the search areas seemed not to take into account the currents, tides and wind, which near the western end of the north side of the island can be significant influences.
Experienced Search and Rescue (SAR) units begin their search efforts by calculating drift in open ocean searches using both predictive models and physical objects like dummy bodies or buoys. When a person goes missing in the water, especially after swimming from shore, SAR planners estimate how far and in what direction the person could have drifted. This is done using computerized drift models that take into account variables such as wind speed and direction, ocean currents, tidal flow, and the time elapsed since the person entered the water. The models also factor in windage, predicting how much the person or object is affected by the wind, based on whether they are wearing a life jacket, scuba gear, floating, or partially submerged.
To refine predictions, SAR teams sometimes release a physical object to simulate the missing person: a life-sized dummy or a weighted mannequin designed to mimic the buoyancy and surface exposure of a human body. More advanced is the use of a GPS-tracked device known as a Self-Locating Datum Marker Buoy. These buoys drift with the surface currents and are monitored in real time to confirm or adjust the computer-generated drift predictions. By comparing the buoy’s actual path to the model’s forecast, rescuers can refocus their search area more accurately.
A combination of drift modeling and real-world observation allows SAR operations to narrow down the probable area where the missing person might be, improving the chances of a successful rescue or recovery. I saw no evidence of such protocols being used in the initial search for Linvol. I wonder if this is also the case regarding the search for Harris.
Do the Cayman SAR units even have the advanced tools commonly used in other places? In light of the all the water-related activities taking place around the three islands, we should have SAR systems in place with state of the art tech.
Very sad, thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues
😔😔😔 💔 💔💔
there are suppose to be cameras at Pedro Castle???
*supposed
RIP Andrel.
Heart-breaking.
Such a sad situation. I always said if he was drinking and out by those cliffs, he could’ve tripped, hit his head and fell into the water.
Track the currents, and offer a $1000 reward if found. The entirety of Cayman Conch Divers will gather.
‘…offer a $1000 reward if found. The entirety of Cayman Conch Divers will gather.’
Is there no end to the disrespecful, inhumane comments.
Shame on you!
The world could be ending and people will be on the internet / social media making memes about it.
Welcome to the interwebs. Enjoy your stay.
Would the currents take someone from Pedro along past Ocean club, past Prospect Point and onto South Sound?
I live at Ocean Club and no boats have gone past. I walked my dog along Prospect Point Rd yesterday to the community centre & let him swim. No one searching there. Indeed there’s so much seaweed (sargassum) & the abandoned Cuban boat along that beach to the east that a body could be very hard to spot. Weed up to 2 1/2 ft high!
Could the police let us know where they think a body might drift so we can be on the look out when walking (tonight I’m going along by the old Mariners complex) for example. I will be vigilant but some expertise would be good. Thank you and god bless his family.
There was a drowning in BT in the late 90’s, and the person was found in the East End.