Two Americans traveling in Barbados are missing after they took a rented personal watercraft out to sea and did not return Monday, according to the country’s national police.
The Royal Barbados Police Force said it is seeking public assistance to locate Oscar Suarez, 32, and Magdalena Devil, 25, who were both wearing life jackets when they were last seen.
Suarez and Devil rented the Jet Ski from a local company at Holetown Beach in Barbados at 2:34 p.m. Monday, police said. When they did not return 20 minutes later, the operator became worried and contacted other operators in the area to search for them, police said.
The Police Marine Unit and Barbados Coast Guard searched as far as the Bridgetown Port but did not find the couple or the Jet Ski, police said. Authorities also checked with management of the Discovery Bay Hotel, where Suarez and Devil were staying, but neither had returned to the hotel.
They arrived in the country June 22 and are scheduled to leave Saturday.
Maritza Pineda, a family friend, told CNN affiliate News 12 New Jersey that “obviously, everybody is a wreck.”
“Everybody is very nervous, but we’re all trying to stay hopeful. We’re all praying that he’s found, they are both found safe and sound,” she said.
A US State Department official told CNN on background that it is aware of the reports of missing citizens.
