Hope fades for missing American couple

The local coast guard was continuing a search on Sunday for missing American couple, Oscar Suarez and Magdalena Devil, Minister of Tourism and International Transport Kerrie Symmonds said.

Suarez, 32, and Devil, 25, went missing after renting a jet ski and headed out to sea on June 24.

Symmonds said the search continued throughout the day on Saturday, and the reconnaissance aircraft provided by the United States Air Force would have now done 300 nautical square miles between Barbados and North West of St Vincent and the Grenadines and South West of Martinique; and a further 300 nautical square miles West North West of Martinique.

“There’s been no evidence of sign of the missing couple,” Symmonds said during an update to the media on Sunday.

He said the United States Air Force has recalled the aircraft.

He said Saturday’s search also involved the RSS and local coast guard vessels on the western, north and eastern side of the island, going into the coves and inlets around Barbados in the hope of seeing some sign of life.

“Regrettably, those searches have come up empty handed,” he said.

The couple was staying at the Starfish Discovery Bay Hotel at the time they went missing.

Members of both families have been flown into the country and are being hosted by the Barbados Tourism and Marketing Incorporated.

Symmonds said with the passage of time, the window or prospect of happy outcome becomes “smaller and smaller”.