Guatemala - Nancy Ng, 29, from Monterey Park CA, missing during Yoga Retreat, 19 Oct 2023

[ifindedout]

Wasn't there a woman who went out on a boat in Las Vegas a few years ago with her young son and ended up drowning ? Why does this remind me of that.

You might be referring to Naya Rivera, only it was on Lake Piru in California northwest of L.A.

 

[mickey2942]

I don't know anything about this lake, but I do know that kayaking is a skill, and often not transferable--for example, I often go kayaking on the small lake by my house, in a small kayak.

I once rented a kayak, at a very large lake, and it was almost completely different. The paddle, the kayak, the waves...the wind picked up...I am fortunate that my friend was with me, and he is in far better shape than me. Alone, I wonder if I would have made it back.

Just a thought.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The Guatemalan government says 95% of the lake was searched and those efforts have now halted.

According to a statement Guatemalan prosecutor's office provided to ABC News, Ng was traveling with a U.S.-based tour group. She went out on the kayaking trip and, according to a woman she was with, they advanced "approximately 2 kilometers deeper into the lake, where the missing woman tells" the witness that "she wants to swim and that is when she drowns," the statement said.

Local fire and rescue officials told ABC News that there were reports that Ng was last seen about half-a-mile away from the shore.

Search for missing SoCal woman at lake in Guatemala ends with no new evidence

Nancy Ng of Monterey Park was last seen Oct. 19 when she reportedly went out in a kayak on a lake in Guatemala.

abc7.com

*well then, that settles that, sarcastic grandma says. I mean she can’t explain any further details yet she knows how far she was. Two miles deeper into the lake from where? Were they in the middle of the lake? So many questions and so many missing details, yet the Guatemalan authorities are confident enough to declare it done and over and present such a statement to the world? Maybe it’s true. She’s not in the lake but perhaps concealed elsewhere? In the woods, in the brush, in a shallow grave?

 

[musicaljoke]

View attachment 459272
The Guatemalan government says 95% of the lake was searched and those efforts have now halted.

According to a statement Guatemalan prosecutor's office provided to ABC News, Ng was traveling with a U.S.-based tour group. She went out on the kayaking trip and, according to a woman she was with, they advanced "approximately 2 kilometers deeper into the lake, where the missing woman tells" the witness that "she wants to swim and that is when she drowns," the statement said.

Local fire and rescue officials told ABC News that there were reports that Ng was last seen about half-a-mile away from the shore.

Search for missing SoCal woman at lake in Guatemala ends with no new evidence

Nancy Ng of Monterey Park was last seen Oct. 19 when she reportedly went out in a kayak on a lake in Guatemala.

abc7.com

*well then, that settles that, sarcastic grandma says. I mean she can’t explain any further details yet she knows how far she was. Two miles deeper into the lake from where? Were they in the middle of the lake? So many questions and so many missing details, yet the Guatemalan authorities are confident enough to declare it done and over and present such a statement to the world? Maybe it’s true. She’s not in the lake but perhaps concealed elsewhere? In the woods, in the brush, in a shallow grave?

Except that the empty kayak marked the spot where she disappeared. No one is going to travel to the middle of a lake to murder someone in a kayak. There is just no evidence to support such an assumption.

She was seen on video heading out into the lake. It didn't look like she was wearing PFD. She said she was going farther into the lake and was seen doing so. She said she was going to swim, and she disappeared. There was a whole lot of risky behaviour that led to a tragic end. I don't see room for any explanation other than that she drowned.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Except that the empty kayak marked the spot where she disappeared. No one is going to travel to the middle of a lake to murder someone in a kayak. There is just no evidence to support such an assumption.

She was seen on video heading out into the lake. It didn't look like she was wearing PFD. She said she was going farther into the lake and was seen doing so. She said she was going to swim, and she disappeared. There was a whole lot of risky behaviour that led to a tragic end. I don't see room for any explanation other than that she drowned.

As you write it, you are correct in scolding me. I never said someone murdered her. Not once. i won’t even suggest a scenario. I will say I do believe she drowned and leave it at that.

 

[musicaljoke]

As you write it, you are correct in scolding me. I never said someone murdered her. Not once. i won’t even suggest a scenario. I will say I do believe she drowned and leave it at that.

Awh, I see. That was the insinuation I read into the comments, and unfairly so. Let's hope they find her body so that her family can have her back home and make their peace.

 

[kaen]

Except that the empty kayak marked the spot where she disappeared. No one is going to travel to the middle of a lake to murder someone in a kayak. There is just no evidence to support such an assumption.

She was seen on video heading out into the lake. It didn't look like she was wearing PFD. She said she was going farther into the lake and was seen doing so. She said she was going to swim, and she disappeared. There was a whole lot of risky behaviour that led to a tragic end. I don't see room for any explanation other than that she drowned.

I would make one point on what you wrote. The empty kayak most likely was moved by water currents, water chop, and wind. The kayak probably was jettisoned from where she entered the water by any action of jumping into the water. Further, getting back into a kayak in deep water is very difficult to do even when trained. The spot where the kayak was found is unlikely to be where she went into the water due to these circumstances.

I agree that all of the accounts written thus far points to an accidental drowning. (IIRC, there was one alleged account of a woman who released the plug on an inflatable kayak which deflated out in the choppy waters of the Hudson River a few years ago which resulted in the death of her fiancee. But, I am unaware of others.) This young woman was on her own in a boat on the lake seemingly without wearing a pfd (did they have pfds?) with one other kayaker. That partner kayaker who even if they were 10 feet away when she entered the water would have struggled to get to the spot where she was in time to rescue her even if training had happened about what to do with a boater in trouble in that specific water environment. A pfd could have been thrown to her in the water but that would require her to be able to hold on to it or put it on. Drownings can occur very quickly so the time just to get to her might not have been enough to save her that way. People who drown are not always easily found on the surface. I am sure that the person who was near Ms. Ng was traumatized to see her jump into the lake and not resurface. This may be a case of the other boater recognizing the dangers inherent in an attempted rescue.

The boat company/whoever owned the kayaks may need to be investigated regarding the warnings/trainings given to people who use their service/equipment. What are the procedures they use to train tourists about the inherent dangers and safety procedures? Not unlike many tourist industries, boat/equipment rentals in the US tend to have waivers that highlight the inherent risks. People in gorgeous scenic areas are often enchanted by the surroundings and may not recognize dangers that are present--- getting to close to the edge of canyon, not recognizing the dangers of sandstone cliffs, unpredictability of wild animals, the dangers of desert heat. Often people are so excited to do the activity that they are not focused on the important steps to maintain safety.

 

[CosmeticChemistTX]

this is just horrible. The only lead I haven’t seen mentioned is that I myself have traveled abroad to many yoga retreats and while I haven’t visited this particular area, I do know many of the yoga retreats hosted in these areas have a plant medicine component to the retreats. I feel like that would make the hosting group and attendees nervous even if they themselves didn’t participate in the plant medicine ceremonies.especially if the main organizing group is from the US. These retreats are gaining popularity and are becoming more acceptable but still some of the ones I’ve attended seem to vary on safety. I reached out to a friend who attended a retreat close by last year to see what her experience was.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

this is just horrible. The only lead I haven’t seen mentioned is that I myself have traveled abroad to many yoga retreats and while I haven’t visited this particular area, I do know many of the yoga retreats hosted in these areas have a plant medicine component to the retreats. I feel like that would make the hosting group and attendees nervous even if they themselves didn’t participate in the plant medicine ceremonies.especially if the main organizing group is from the US. These retreats are gaining popularity and are becoming more acceptable but still some of the ones I’ve attended seem to vary on safety. I reached out to a friend who attended a retreat close by last year to see what her experience was.

Interesting. See this is what I don’t get. It was hosted by a US group and they all just packed up and went back home. Are any of these other witnesses the media speaks of from the US?

 

[masquerading]

Interesting. See this is what I don’t get. It was hosted by a US group and they all just packed up and went back home. Are any of these other witnesses the media speaks of from the US?

I’m wondering the same. If the witnesses were other members of the yoga retreat, I don’t see why it has been so difficult to get eyewitness testimony. I’m wondering if the witnesses we haven’t heard from yet were Guatemalan? Is this case being put on Guatemalan news? I don’t think the language barrier would be an issue with the FBI involved (surely they have translators?), but I don’t know how Guatemalans tend to feel about their own police force, let alone an American one. If attitudes towards LE tend to be full of distrust, then I can see why it has been hard to get these people talking.

To note on the translator bit, I will say that sometimes LE just doesn’t make an effort to interview people if they don’t speak English (Jennifer Kesse’s case comes to mind – LE didn’t interview any of the Spanish-speaking workers around her building. She went missing in FLORIDA. But no Spanish translator? Okay…). It doesn’t seem like that’s the case here, but you never know.

Nancy seems like a kind, free spirit and I hope she gets to go home soon.

 

[slowpoke]

Is this case being put on Guatemalan news?

above snipped ^

Prensa Libre* has several articles on Nancy Ng. Here’s one, in the original language. And here it is, translated thru google.

If anyone understands Spanish, there is a video where an official is interviewed, maybe one of the rescue officers? It’d be nice to know what he says.

(* Prensa Libre is a Guatemalan newspaper published in Guatemala City by Prensa Libre, S.A. and distributed nationwide.)

 

[waldojabba]

Interesting. See this is what I don’t get. It was hosted by a US group and they all just packed up and went back home. Are any of these other witnesses the media speaks of from the US?

I understand the witnesses to be in her yoga group, the group whoseemingly she paddled out on to the lake with that day she went missing. But that has just been my interpretation from reading all msm from the beggining. The coverage imo remains somewhat confusing.

 

[AnyNameIWish]

I have not been on such a retreat, but even if people are arriving separately for a bit of relaxation and quiet (?)- Does it still make sense that someone from your cohort goes missing and you just leave for your home country and think, "well, I hope they find that lady?"

Maybe that's the kind of world we live in these days? People wrapped up in posting their own selfies and stories, but not really connecting with other humans in person when at these things?

Moo. No idea. Is there a sense of temporary community at these things?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Lifeguards searched for several days for the American tourist Nancy Ng, who disappeared in Lake Atitlán, Sololá. (Free Press Photo: Volunteer Firefighters)

The Volunteer Firefighters reported this Tuesday, November 7, that the last time they carried out a search was last October 30.

Socorristas suspenden búsqueda de turista estadounidense en el Lago de Atitlán y están en apresto ante cualquier indicio que se encuentre

La estadounidense Nancy Ng desapareció en el Lago de Atitlán y luego de varios días de búsqueda se desconoce su paradero.

www-prensalibre-com.translate.goog

On October 25, Prensa Libre published a story reporting that lifeguards, divers and private individuals were using four boats, drones and three helicopters to search for the American citizen, who was apparently in a kayak when she fell into the lake.

Quién es la mujer estadounidense que desapareció en el Lago de Atitlán, qué hacía en Guatemala y a qué se dedicaba

La mujer de 29 años había llegado a Guatemala a participar en un retiro de una semana pero desapareció en el Lago de Atitlán el pasado 19 de octubre.

www-prensalibre-com.translate.goog

 

[mickey2942]

I just read that the temp of Lake atitlan is 70. That is cold. Maybe fun to dip your feet in at the shore, or a quick plunge by the beach. But more than that, you would definitely want a wetsuit. Unless you are used to swimming in cold water.

How Cold Is Too Cold to Go Swimming? - HealthNetwork

When is it too cold to go swimming? That depends. As we head towards warmer weather, learn whether it's ok to swim in colder water.

healthnetwork.com

 

[adot0902]

Interesting. See this is what I don’t get. It was hosted by a US group and they all just packed up and went back home. Are any of these other witnesses the media speaks of from the US?

And even more interesting, not one of those people in a US based group took the opportunity to put the "WHOLE STORY" on TikTok or Instagram and gain followers. I just don't believe that is a possibility in that age range and life style. I may be incorrectly judging, but I have to assume at least one person in the group is some sort of content creator.

 

[charminglane]

And even more interesting, not one of those people in a US based group took the opportunity to put the "WHOLE STORY" on TikTok or Instagram and gain followers. I just don't believe that is a possibility in that age range and life style. I may be incorrectly judging, but I have to assume at least one person in the group is some sort of content creator.

This is a very good point.

 

[waldojabba]

I understand the witnesses to be in her yoga group, the group whoseemingly she paddled out on to the lake with that day she went missing. But that has just been my interpretation from reading all msm from the beggining. The coverage imo remains somewhat confusing.

repyling to myself

What I would like to hear is that the other members of her US tour group ( esp the woman who paddled away with her from the group ) contacted the authorities immediately and have been cooperating with authorities.
Instead we have heard the opposite. So if I put myself in her families shoes I am beyond bereft and really bewildered by the circumstances.
I want confirmation that she was indeed out on the lake with her group that day and then went off with a female member of the group to explore a different direction. Eye witnesses ( plural) in the group should be able to speak to that. The last video of her paddling shows her in the lake but not out with the group.. I'd want to know the time stamp on that video.
I also want to know what was going on in the 24 hr lag time between her "drowning" and the report to authorities. Again there should be multiple people who saw her or were talking to the hotel/tour director about the event, maybe even searching , who can come forward.
It totally may just be an unfortuanate drowning, but the way it was reported and handled by those around her does not point me yet to that direction. And yes I know Liability yada and the members of the group may be traumatized etc. - where is the thought to the real victim here, the missing woman?
This was a "Namaste" yoga group, not a cut throat political operatives retreat. IMO these people need to open their hearts and do the right thing - speak up!
IMO there is no excuse for waiting 24hrs to report a woman missing you saw go under water and never resurface.
I really would like to know what was going on during that time period.
JMO

 

[waldojabba]

Lifeguards searched for several days for the American tourist Nancy Ng, who disappeared in Lake Atitlán, Sololá. (Free Press Photo: Volunteer Firefighters)

The Volunteer Firefighters reported this Tuesday, November 7, that the last time they carried out a search was last October 30.

Socorristas suspenden búsqueda de turista estadounidense en el Lago de Atitlán y están en apresto ante cualquier indicio que se encuentre

La estadounidense Nancy Ng desapareció en el Lago de Atitlán y luego de varios días de búsqueda se desconoce su paradero.

www-prensalibre-com.translate.goog

On October 25, Prensa Libre published a story reporting that lifeguards, divers and private individuals were using four boats, drones and three helicopters to search for the American citizen, who was apparently in a kayak when she fell into the lake.

Quién es la mujer estadounidense que desapareció en el Lago de Atitlán, qué hacía en Guatemala y a qué se dedicaba

La mujer de 29 años había llegado a Guatemala a participar en un retiro de una semana pero desapareció en el Lago de Atitlán el pasado 19 de octubre.

www-prensalibre-com.translate.goog

BBM above On Oct 25th
Assuming the 25th is just a typo -
thanks

 

[imstilla.grandma]

BBM above On Oct 25th
Assuming the 25th is just a typo -
thanks

Translated version, so idk

eta:*subversive (is that the word she used?) behavior of US witnesses - first red flag…