Teacher’s family go back to UK

The parents of Nathan Clarke released a farewell statement yesterday through the RCIPS, thanking volunteers and police for their search efforts, and lamenting the lack of any trace of the vanished water-sports instructor.

In a seven-paragraph press release, parents Elizabeth and Randell Clarke, who left George Town on Saturday, said they had been left “none the wiser” about the fate of their 31-year-old son, resident for four years in Cayman, who went missing on the evening of 25 February at Public Beach.

“It is now three weeks since our son (and brother to Sam and Dan), Nathan, went missing and we leave the island none the wiser as to what has happened to him,” the two said, appearing to concede his death after almost a month of fruitless searching. Mr and Mrs Clarke and their other two children arrived in George Town on 3 March.

“After two weeks of intensive searching by police and [hundreds] of volunteers on land and sea, there has been no positive indication of his whereabouts and so he remains a missing person,” they said.

“The police assure us that their investigation will continue albeit on a lower level and once again call on all of you wonderful people of Grand Cayman to remain vigilant and report anything which may aid their enquiries.”

Nathan Clarke disappeared during a Saturday evening at Calico Jack’s with his fiancée Lisa Beck, 32, and friends. Last seen “walking toward the water’s edge” about 8:30pm, according to Ms Beck, the sports instructor and part-time Cayman Prep teacher made a final call from his cell phone between 8:07 and 8:09, and did not respond to repeated calls after he was last sighted.

More than 500 volunteers and police spent more than 30,000 hours searching the beach, inland and sea areas in the subsequent weeks. On 29 February, a bather accidentally stumbled on Mr Clarke’s cell phone 50 metres offshore in10 feet of water, renewing recovery efforts that culminated about one week later in deployment of sniffer dogs brought in from the US, trained to locate bodies.

“New posters detailing Nathan’s missing personal items are now being circulated so even those of you on holiday, diving, snorkelling or simply taking a stroll along the beach will know to report anything unusual or hand in any items which may be one of the missing belongings,” the parents said yesterday.

“We cannot express enough our gratitude to the [hundreds] of volunteers for their ceaseless searching, unending concern for our welfare and their generosity in making sure everything we could ever need was at our disposal,” they said.

The night of the Clarkes’ arrival, dozens of friends and volunteers attended a candlelight ceremony honouring the missing teacher at Public Beach. Mrs Clarke briefly addressed the crowd, thanking the group for their support.

Philip and Elizabeth Beck, parents of Lisa Beck, who rushed to George Town on 27 February to be with their daughter, remain on island and have said little about their immediate plans.

“We leave here feeling numb and helpless, but take with us an understanding of Nat’s life here.  The love and respect you all have for him gives us hope that answers will soon be found,” Mr and Mrs Clarke said.

“Thank you once again for your love and support.”