Chicago woman lost off of Vieques island, Puerto Rico

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DandyDon

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The Coast Guard suspended a four-day search for a missing diver over the weekend, pending new developments, in waters that stretch from Vieques to the main island.

Missing is Joanna Rebis, 38, of Chicago, last seen at 1 p.m. on Wednesday off the coast of Punta Arenas in Vieques.

“Unfortunately we did not find Ms. Rebis, despite extensive search efforts by all responding agencies,” said Lt. Cmdr. Alberto Martínez, coordinator of the search and rescue mission for the case in a written statement.

“We remain hopeful that one day we can learn more about the circumstances that led to her disappearance,” he added. “For people who are on vacation in Puerto Rico or just enjoying a day at the beach, we recommend that you monitor the state of the sea and pay attention to the warning signs of dangerous rip currents. Most of the beaches in Puerto Rico are open water beaches and do not have lifeguards; having someone to take care of you in case of a dangerous situation could save your life or the life of a loved one.”

An official with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service initially informed observers in the San Juan Sector at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday of a diver missing off Vieques.

The Coast Guard air and surface assets involved in the search conducted a combined total of 27 air and surface searches covering 2,391 square nautical miles, an area roughly one-third the size of Puerto Rico.
 
Sad.. given the rip currents predominant in that area, it is my guess that there is a possibility she is by now in open water North-North West of the island.
 
That's sad. Other sources said she was snorkeling without fins, and one says that her GoPro was found but they can't get the police to look at the last pictures.




 
Hope she turns up safe
She was lost eight days ago. Searches were canceled after four days as no one can survive that long without drinking water.
 
Hi Dandy, I am a friend of Joanna. The family is seeking legal assistance. They have not received updates from the investigation in Puerto Rico. Her GoPro was found, and the family wants to know what happened to Joanna before she went missing. Puerto Rico law enforcement kept the device and has not shared any further details with the family. You can imagine how desperate they are. What would be your best advice in a case like this? Thank you for posting Joanna's case. Her friends and co-workers are still looking for answers. She is greatly missed.
 
Hi Dandy, I am a friend of Joanna. The family is seeking legal assistance. They have not received updates from the investigation in Puerto Rico. Her GoPro was found, and the family wants to know what happened to Joanna before she went missing. Puerto Rico law enforcement kept the device and has not shared any further details with the family. You can imagine how desperate they are. What would be your best advice in a case like this? Thank you for posting Joanna's case. Her friends and co-workers are still looking for answers. She is greatly missed.
I am sorry to read about your loss. We discuss diving accidents here in our attempts to become safer divers and discourage loved ones from reading our discussions in case our posts seem inappropriate in any way as such is never our intent. I am sorry that I cannot offer any legal assistance. You might consider a local attorney there.
 
Hi Dandy, I am a friend of Joanna. The family is seeking legal assistance. They have not received updates from the investigation in Puerto Rico. Her GoPro was found, and the family wants to know what happened to Joanna before she went missing. Puerto Rico law enforcement kept the device and has not shared any further details with the family. You can imagine how desperate they are. What would be your best advice in a case like this? Thank you for posting Joanna's case. Her friends and co-workers are still looking for answers. She is greatly missed.
In my "real life" I'm a homicide detective. While I can't offer legal advice, I wanted to provide some insight as to why you aren't getting anything from the police. It is not uncommon for police to withhold evidence from the public, including the families of victims. It is likely this event was a tragic accident, but authorities need to keep that information private until the investigation is concluded. In the unlikely event this incident has criminal implications for someone, they need to preserve any evidence found in relation to the event to secure an arrest. Once the investigation is complete, the police should release any items back to family/next of kin, etc., assuming there are no criminal charges to be filed.

If you want additional information about the case you/family feel should be released to you, and are not getting it from police there, I would suggest contacting the local US Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico and expressing your concerns.
 
I am sorry to read about your loss. We discuss diving accidents here in our attempts to become safer divers and discourage loved ones from reading our discussions in case our posts seem inappropriate in any way as such is never our intent. I am sorry that I cannot offer any legal assistance. You might consider a local attorney there.
Thank you. I appreciate you responding. Have a blessed end of the year.
 
Thank you. I appreciate you responding. Have a blessed end of the year.
Thanks. Some of the news stories mentioned that she didn't have fins. I am only guessing here, but I suspect that she did not have a snorkel vest. If that's true, I can understand. Decades ago I thought that saltwater swimming was so safe since a swimmer is more buoyant in the ocean than in freshwater, but I learned more about the dangers of currents, etc before I hurt myself. Nowadays I wear one anytime I get on a boat even tho I've never known any other divers who do. See the yellow vest in my current photo on this post.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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