ARUBA - Robyn Gardner, 35, Maryland woman missing in Aruba, 2 Aug 2011 - #10

[Dushi]

DCCG has 3 Coast Guard support centers: on Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. From here, the Coast Guard patrol boats patrol in the waters around the islands. The flying units of the Coast Guard are stationed at the Hato military airbase in Curaçao. The Coast Guard Center / RCC itself is located in Curaçao, the naval base Parera.

AS355DCCG employs a Eurocopter AS355 helicopter for high speed chase, and search and rescue operations. The AS-355 helicopter is stationed at Hato Coast Guard Support Center. On october 14th 2011 the dutch mod announced that the AS355's will be replaced by 2 new AW-139 helicopters by october 2012.


But I will put helicopter searches on my list. I would be interested in what type of equipment they have to search. lol jmo

As I said, unless we find out sooner, I will check it out once I get down there. Not an unreasonable question to ask the authorities since we do go to the eastern coast every visit. What if someone were to fall into the water, what should we do and what type of equipment is available to help rescue someone in that water?



i posted all this info days ago... and linked the official navy website ... did no one bother to look?

I am familiar with the feeling

 

[Dushi]

Sadly it appears that the person who was probably "too drunk" is Mr.Silva who also spotted a giant turtle and a shark as well as GG and RG driving the wrong way away from baby beach.

This witness may not very credible unfortunately. Whats strange is when ABC interviewed him they asked why he wasn't questioned yet..And he said his guess were the police were too lazy..lol..We may never know if his guy should be totally discounted or not..
Not sure who the actual source is here that claims helicopters spotted two sharks and a giant sea turtle where Robyn dissapeared..If the source is Mr.Silva what relevence is the sharks and giant turtle if Robyn drove off with Giordano? The source sounds like someone who was quoting CJ,Silva and the statements of Giordano..IMO


Robyn Gardner's Boyfriends Clash Over Her Last Hours
By MATT GUTMAN (@mattgutmanABC) , SABRINA PEDUTO, ALEXA MIRANDA and JASON STINE
Aug. 24, 2011

Snip

Robyn Gardner was groggy from sleeping pills, vodka and a meal when she went into the water in Aruba where she quickly cut her toe, forcing her out of the water, a source told ABC News.

A witness at the restaurant where the couple were last seen together expressed surprise at the claim that Gardner went snorkeling because of the obvious effort she had put into her hair and make-up that evening.

A second witness claims to have seen the couple stroll on the beach, but not enter the water.

Source Insists Robyn Gardner Did Go Swimming Day She Disappeared

People at the beachfront restaurant said she was woozy and barely ate her salad.

But the source said that she did go in the water, gashing her toe on her first attempt to go swimming. She retreated with her toe bleeding, and a spot of blood was found near where the couple's rental car had been parked, the source said. Forensics is still testing the blood.

The source also said that helicopters spotted two sharks and a giant sea turtle in the area about the same time that Gardner vanished.

The last contact Forester had with Gardner, his girlfriend of more than two years, was a message from her around 3 p.m. on Aug. 2, saying, in part, "I love you, I care about you, we'll talk and sort this out when I get back."

The ABC News source says that message was sent with the intention of ending the relationship when she returned to Maryland, something Forester also disputes.

"Part of that message to me, prior to that, was, 'this sucks.' So I highly doubt that's what it was," Forester told "GMA." "Not to mention that our plan for the weekend she came home from the trip was to find an apartment together."

http://abcnews.go.com/International/robyn-gardners-boyfriends-clash-hours/story?id=14370011

very interesting observation

 

[LambChop]

DCCG has 3 Coast Guard support centers: on Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. From here, the Coast Guard patrol boats patrol in the waters around the islands. The flying units of the Coast Guard are stationed at the Hato military airbase in Curaçao. The Coast Guard Center / RCC itself is located in Curaçao, the naval base Parera.

AS355DCCG employs a Eurocopter AS355 helicopter for high speed chase, and search and rescue operations. The AS-355 helicopter is stationed at Hato Coast Guard Support Center. On october 14th 2011 the dutch mod announced that the AS355's will be replaced by 2 new AW-139 helicopters by october 2012.


But I will put helicopter searches on my list. I would be interested in what type of equipment they have to search. lol jmo

As I said, unless we find out sooner, I will check it out once I get down there. Not an unreasonable question to ask the authorities since we do go to the eastern coast every visit. What if someone were to fall into the water, what should we do and what type of equipment is available to help rescue someone in that water?



i posted all this info days ago... and linked the official navy website ... did no one bother to look?

Well, I guess I missed it because I did not read that. I also don't always read every post so I could have missed it. Thanks for posting the information. jmo

 

[Dushi]

This is Aruba, not the US. Obviously they did say that if Mr. Silva reported that to GMA reporters

. But we don't know the whole conversation that Mr. Silva had with the officer. The officer could have been asking if anyone saw anything out in the water earlier, splashing around. They were fishermen who were right there so it is possible they noticed something (which we now know they did). A question could have been asked as to what GG was saying, there may have been someone there listening who could not understand what GG was saying because we do see locals standing right next to him when GG was sitting on the rock. The officer told them they could not get much information from him because he is mumbling and appeared to be drunk.

So I could see a general patrol officer saying that. Probably not a detective. But an officer who just reponds to calls, I could see them saying that, yes. Remember, though, we did not hear the whole conversation so we don't know what lead up to the remark or where they were in their investigation at that time. One thing is obvious, they expected to find that body. jmo

This is where we sort of part ways
Nothing is obvious to me:what:

 

[Dushi]

If this S and R equipment is stationed in Curacoa, how long do you think it would take to engage them?
Is it feasable that they were on sight immediately?

 

[LambChop]

This is where we sort of part ways
Nothing is obvious to me:what:

I believe T. Stein stated that they "expected" to find the body. I don't know what the statistics are on finding bodies but I would venture a guess that most of the drownings that happen so close to shore a body is recovered. If not that day, shortly after. Here is a man who drowned and was found after Hurricane Felix. I don't think it is a stretch to say her body was probably not there because they left the area and she never went into the water there. And there is certainly no proof she ever did. And it does fit in with what the witnesses are reporting. So I can see why LE would not believe his story.

My interest in the helicopter is whether or not they can search at night. jmo

http://www.caribbeanchoice.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=77676&PID=458625

 

[Blueskies]

If this S and R equipment is stationed in Curacoa, how long do you think it would take to engage them?
Is it feasable that they were on sight immediately?

Sorry if I didn't read everything you guys researched. Aruba has Warda Costa that has a couple of helicopters that can be dispatched immediately. From what I read on the case they did a fly over within a hour of being alerted of a possible drowning. That's probably what Mr.Silva was speaking of.IMO

 

[Dushi]

Sorry if I didn't read everything you guys researched. Aruba has Warda Costa that has a couple of helicopters that can be dispatched immediately. From what I read on the case they did a fly over within a hour of being alerted of a possible drowning. That's probably what Mr.Silva was speaking of.IMO

I have no doubt that they did the best they could with what was at hand
I do belive that fully equipped S and R was not situated locally, so it would take time to arrange a full S and R

I am not familiar with Warda costa,I will search it
The LE chopper is primarily used to keep an eye on the shore line, more about drug running and illegals
I have not read anything about their ability at S and R

And trust me, an hour after alerted, it was dark, very dark

Links are welcome and I do read them

 

[LambChop]

Sorry if I didn't read everything you guys researched. Aruba has Warda Costa that has a couple of helicopters that can be dispatched immediately. From what I read on the case they did a fly over within a hour of being alerted of a possible drowning. That's probably what Mr.Silva was speaking of.IMO

Plus the LE helicopter is just minutes away and although they don't have special equipment they could spot someone in the water if it were still light enough. There is always a chance that she could have grabbed onto something drifting in the water, or she could have been swimming parallel to the beach and ended up way down the beach out of their sight. jmo

 

[Dushi]

Warda nos Costa.... coast guard

 

[Dushi]

Plus the LE helicopter is just minutes away and although they don't have special equipment they could spot someone in the water if it were still light enough.

There is always a chance that she could have grabbed onto something drifting in the water, or she could have been swimming parallel to the beach and ended up way down the beach out of their sight. jmo

Someone alive?
Someone floating?

 

[Blueskies]

I have no doubt that they did the best they could with what was at hand
I do belive that fully equipped S and R was not situated locally, so it would take time to arrange a full S and R

I am not familiar with Warda costa,I will search it
The LE chopper is primarily used to keep an eye on the shore line, more about drug running and illegals
I have not read anything about their ability at S and R

And trust me, an hour after alerted, it was dark, very dark

Links are welcome and I do read them

They have a couple of Heliopads on the island for these types of emergencies..A few years back I remember the MOJ Rudy Croes buying several helicopters to help with the illegals,drugs and of course these types of emergencies. Aruba S and R has a couple of boats but it's the coast guard or warda costa who has the Helicopters. They have everything they need on Aruba for searching for a drowning victim except jets and large ships which are deployed through the Navy. And of course a couple of search dogs which appears they have now according to a recent article.

I'M pretty convinced they searched that water fairly well in searching for Robyns body on that west side where Giordano said she dissapeared. As you know there are sand dunes that go up few miles up and also some isolated areas on the east coast which he could have gotten to in a few minutes. Dog graves would have been very clever but it would have also been a easy spot to be seen..And no I dont believe the NE articles are credible in anyway about a dog graves disposal

 

[LambChop]

Someone alive?
Someone floating?

I'm presuming that when the call went out they were looking for a person in the water not a drowning victum because GG did not say she drowned. He said he could not find her. So it is possible they were searching the water to see if they could find her. It was initially a rescue operation, not a drowning. It was presumed that she drowned once they searched and could not find her. I can't believe they would not have looked from the air when that is the fastest way to search that water whether the sun was going down or not. It is possible if GG was telling the truth that she could have still be alive and out in that water. We know now that this was not true but LE did not know that at the time. GG never said he saw her go under and not come back up. Only that he swam to shore and when he got there she was not with him. jmo

 

[Dushi]

They have a couple of Heliopads on the island for these types of emergencies..A few years back I remember the MOJ Rudy Croes buying several helicopters to help with the illegals,drugs and of course these types of emergencies. Aruba S and R has a couple of boats but it's the coast guard or warda costa who has the Helicopters. They have everything they need on Aruba for searching for a drowning victim except jets and large ships which are deployed through the Navy. And of course a couple of search dogs which appears they have now according to a recent article.

I'M pretty convinced they searched that water fairly well in searching for Robyns body on that west side where Giordano said she dissapeared. As you know there are sand dunes that goes a few miles up and also some isolated areas on the east coast which he could have gotten to in a few minutes.

This is interesting
do you have any links?
Everything I can find is in papi or very old


I am not questioning the quality of the search, I have no doubt it was well done
I am asking for verification of when it was done
I like to keep things clear , it saves me some backtracking

I have read all links stating that there was a chopper search
But nothing giving a date
The one link quoted said GG helped, but the rest of that article quoted his lawyer saying "in the following days gary helped with the search"
No mention of that night

 

[Dushi]

I'm presuming that when the call went out they were looking for a person in the water not a drowning victum because GG did not say she drowned. He said he could not find her. So it is possible they were searching the water to see if they could find her. It was initially a rescue operation, not a drowning. It was presumed that she drowned once they searched and could not find her. I can't believe they would not have looked from the air when that is the fastest way to search that water whether the sun was going down or not. It is possible if GG was telling the truth that she could have still be alive and out in that water. We know now that this was not true but LE did not know that at the time. GG never said he saw her go under and not come back up. Only that he swam to shore and when he got there she was not with him. jmo

well, we can go round and round but we won't

Maybe LE went up to look, Don't know about coast guard

I think its fair to say at this point, until proven otherwise that if S and R were involved it was late and dark

I feel LE did their best given the circumstances, given the equipment at hand at that moment in time

 

[Dushi]

Also, it seems that the Warda nos costa deploys from Curacoa?

DCCG has 3 Coast Guard support centers: on Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. From here, the Coast Guard patrol boats patrol in the waters around the islands. The flying units of the Coast Guard are stationed at the Hato military airbase in Curaçao. The Coast Guard Center / RCC itself is located in Curaçao, the naval base Parera.

AS355DCCG employs a Eurocopter AS355 helicopter for high speed chase, and search and rescue operations. The AS-355 helicopter is stationed at Hato Coast Guard Support Center. On october 14th 2011 the dutch mod announced that the AS355's will be replaced by 2 new AW-139 helicopters by october 2012.

 

[Blueskies]

This is interesting
do you have any links?
Everything I can find is in papi or very old


I am not questioning the quality of the search, I have no doubt it was well done
I am asking for verification of when it was done
I like to keep things clear , it saves me some backtracking

I have read all links stating that there was a chopper search
But nothing giving a date
The one link quoted said GG helped, but the rest of that article quoted his lawyer saying "in the following days gary helped with the search"
No mention of that night

I've never seen pics or a newspaper article either of helicopters being deployed to search for RG that night. Only the volunteer divers entering the water at nightfall. I'M assuming the Helicopter were deployed that night and probably the next day. But like you stated they probably didn't have much time until it was pitch black outside. What time does it get dark in early August? 7:30?

According to the source or Mr Silva the Helicopter saw a Giant Turtle and two sharks..lol..If it's true hey were deployed that night

 

[LambChop]

well, we can go round and round but we won't

Maybe LE went up to look, Don't know about coast guard

I think its fair to say at this point, until proven otherwise that if S and R were involved it was late and dark

I feel LE did their best given the circumstances, given the equipment at hand at that moment in time

I would hope they would given the fact that at 6:30 at night they were not sure she had drowned.

I'd still like to know where GG was for that 18 minutes. And why did he "run" to the restaurant when the car was right there. So, he's running to the restaurant, no cell phone and no car and he's missing from a camera's view for 18 minutes. That's a long time. jmo

 

[Dushi]

I've never seen pics or a newspaper article either of helicopters being deployed to search for RG that night. Only the volunteer divers entering the water at nightfall. I'M assuming the Helicopter were deployed that night and probably the next day. But like you stated they probably didn't have much time until it was pitch black outside. What time does it get dark in early August? 7:30?

According to the source or Mr Silva the Helicopter saw a Giant Turtle and two sharks..lol..If it's true hey were deployed that night

Well, the sun set at 7:06

 

[Dushi]

I've never seen pics or a newspaper article either of helicopters being deployed to search for RG that night. Only the volunteer divers entering the water at nightfall. I'M assuming the Helicopter were deployed that night and probably the next day. But like you stated they probably didn't have much time until it was pitch black outside. What time does it get dark in early August? 7:30?

According to the source or Mr Silva the Helicopter saw a Giant Turtle and two sharks..lol..If it's true hey were deployed that night

I also remember reading this but I thought that it was stated that the shark and turtle were spotted earlier that day in the area

Not clear on that