Jeff Dunsavage's Blog – July 2013 Archive (13)

This article is the most comprehensive piece I've seen on the disappearance of David Gimelfarb in Costa Rica four years ago. It's rare for any of our stories to be told well -- rarer still for them to be contextualized in terms of the broader policy issues that paint targets on the backs of travelers and put their families through unnecessary levels of hell.…

Travel Warning

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of Consular Affairs

Mexico

July 12, 2013

The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens about the security situation in Mexico.  General information on the overall security situation is provided immediately below.  For information on security conditions in specific regions of Mexico, which can vary, travelers should reference the state-by-state assessments further below.

This Travel…

From ValleyCentral.com:

American officials have updated a travel warning to Mexico stating that neighboring Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon are among the least secure states in Mexico. The U.S. State Department issued the updated travel warning on Friday afternoon.

Officials offered general advice…

"Everyone's baffled, because it's not a dangerous place. There's no rebels or something like that who kidnap people. I can't come up with a scenario that could make sense." 

- Chris Reiger, father of August Reiger, missing in the jungle outside Banos, Ecuador (CNN International)

"When I read that it happened in Banos near the look out I was equally shocked and relieved it was not me. Friends who traveled there before me said to make sure I did not go to the look out…

Gary Lee, a 73 year-old U.S. citizen from Yuma, Arizona, was brutally attacked and shot when intruders burst into his vacation home in Puntarenas, Costa Rica.  Lee has owned the vacation home for six years. Lee told his story to KYMA News 11, a local television station in Yuma.  Lee said he was sound asleep when the intruders burst into his home, pistol whipped him, and ultimately shot him in the leg.

“It scared me to death, they burst through that door with all sorts of noise and…

ABC News coverage

Account from Utila Search & Rescue FaceBook page: "A bunch of happy young people, not a care in the world thinking no big deal just going 27 miles to the next island for a few hours. They rented a speed boat, had no life safety gear (life vests,…

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Details to come when available

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Still no confirmation or details about second boat said to be missing in the same area.

Today it was reported that a second boat, the Gypsy Moth, disappeared between Roatan and Utila Bay Islands, Honduras this past weekend. No details available yet.

Here's the latest update, from the Utila Search & Rescue Facebook Page:

"The authorities have been notified on the islands of Utila, Roatan, Guanaja and Cayos Cochinos. Also on the mainland of Honduras. Navu boats and private boats have been searching since last night. Today a plane went on a grid search for 6 hours. The US Embassy has contacted palmarola in hopes to dispatch rescue planes tomorrow. At this time, after tracking leads on Roatan today it is not…

Honduran citizens on board

Gustavo Lorenz (25)

Gary Zelaya (22)

Annie Bernard (28)

Alex Bodden (16)

Adán Centeno (19)

American citizens on board

Leon Martin Coello Buckley (18)

Amber Marie Burkelt (16)

Canadian citizen on board

Tasha Brown (20).…

This is all I have so far -- will say more as I learn more

Utila East Wind

URGENT INFORMATION NEEDED

NINE YOUNG PEOPLE MISSING



A speed boat with up to Six Utilians and three Americans has gone missing from Saturday night at approximately 2 am.



Apparently, the last known sighting was in West End, Roatan as they were leaving back to Utila.



Boats have been searching through yesterday and the night with no success.

The speed boat is…