Search for the missing young man, Dave Ngirailemesang from Ngkeklau, Ngaraard continued yesterday despite the rain and stormy weather.
The young man, a well-known local artist, reportedly went fishing on Sunday and failed to return in the afternoon. After a search, his bamboo raft was found but he was not to be seen. Early Monday morning, the Bureau of Public Safety received a report of missing person and search party mobilized and commenced search in the waters around Ngkeklau.
A search party consisting of Marine Law Enforcement officers, officers from the Bureau of Public Safety, Criminal Investigation Division (CID), State rangers from Ngarchelong, Ngaraard, Ngchesar, Airai, Ngiwal as well as individuals are covering outside the reef, inshore and mangrove areas.
According to a report from the Ministry of Justice, US Coast Guard from Guam are providing ocean current and other information needed to narrow the search and PM Air has been providing aerial search as well for two days.
Dave Ngirailemesang, a talented artist, teaches art at Mindzenty High School. His art and talent have become known recently with some of his artworks featured at Pacific Festival of Arts. His recent artwork, a mural at the Belau National Museum shows both his talent and training.
This is the second such incident of missing person while fishing in Ngaraard in the last month and a half. In early December of last year, a man from Ulimang hamlet of Ngaraard, also went missing while fishing. Search results yielded pieces of his boat but he was not found. (L.N. Reklai)