Found Deceased Holland - Richard Cole, 30, Amsterdam, 25 January 2016

[cuffem]

I have eaten at Cocos Outback.The area is very touristy and mostly restaurants geared towards tourist.Not a seedy area.Amsterdam keeps the tourist areas nice and free of rifraf,
I wanted to add that the canals and streets along it are not lighted and very dark at night.

 

[cuffem]

After talking with my husband,he mentioned that Richard would most likely walk in the opposite direction from the canal when leaving Coco's Outback.This direction is busier and well lit and more businesses.The other direction by the canal is more residential.The rembrantstraat has a small square with a tram stop,it is possible to catch a ride with no ticket but they are cracking down on this.They should ask the tram drivers or at least give them a pic to look out for him.Also there are cameras on the trams.It is easy to sneak on from the back car if there is alot of people boarding.I used to do it when I first visited because I had difficulty purchasing a ticket.I hope they have spoken to the cab companies and gave them a pic.Has it been posted what hotel he was staying at?If he passed out in a visible area the polite will be there soon to remove him.
I am sorry I can not post google maps,I have a new tablet I am learning to use.

 

[cuffem]

I read on Richards facebook page that he left the bar/rest. at 2am and last contact was at 3:15am ,What was he doing for 45 minutes?Walking?Looking for a cab?If he was capable of walking for 45 min. while intoxicated he could be anywhere.My guess is he was pretty drunk if his girlfriend had to send him a pic of his hotel address for the cab driver.

 

[otto]

Very familiar with Amsterdam and it is not unusual for people or cars,bikes,scooters to end up in a canal.When someone goes missing in Amsterdam or Belgium and it is near a canal,they are usually found in the water.The canals cycle with the tides and bring fresh water in daily,he could be out to sea by now sorry to say.I am sure officials in Holland are checking the tide charts.
I hope they have the canal boat captains keeping a watch out for him.

I'm not convinced that someone who falls into a canal in Amsterdam will end up at sea. If he fell into the canal, I suppose he would sink to the bottom - and lie amongst the bicycles. Eventually the body would bloat and float to the surface of the water. I doubt that a body could float through the Amsterdam inner city canals to the sea locks without being seen.

http://www.eurocanals.com/Waterways/netherlandswater.html

 

[cuffem]

I'm not convinced that someone who falls into a canal in Amsterdam will end up at sea. If he fell into the canal, I suppose he would sink to the bottom - and lie amongst the bicycles. Eventually the body would bloat and float to the surface of the water. I doubt that a body could float through the Amsterdam inner city canals to the sea locks without being seen.

http://www.eurocanals.com/Waterways/netherlandswater.html

I did mention in one of my posts that a body might get stuck on debris (bicycles) in the water.The Amsterdam canals do cycle in and out fresh water daily so it is not impossible to end up in the harbor.There are many boat tours and yes if the body does eventually surface it would be seen.I am only thinking of possibilities to cover.
If it was my family member missing I would want all aspects checked.My honest opinion is he is in the canal and will surface eventually.I think they should send in divers to look in the canals.

 

[sherlockh]

I hope the best for Richard, but lately it seems like every month a male tourist goes missing in Amsterdam. For some reason it is always a male tourist. In November it was a Scottish tourist Chris Nelson and in December the Norwegian Tore Grodem. Both were eventually found dead in the water, but only weeks after they went missing. It is sad. Stay away from the water.

 

[otto]

I did mention in one of my posts that a body might get stuck on debris (bicycles) in the water.The Amsterdam canals do cycle in and out fresh water daily so it is not impossible to end up in the harbor.There are many boat tours and yes if the body does eventually surface it would be seen.I am only thinking of possibilities to cover.
If it was my family member missing I would want all aspects checked.My honest opinion is he is in the canal and will surface eventually.I think they should send in divers to look in the canals.

I can't imagine anyone volunteering for the job of canal diver. A body in the canal will eventually float, and there are so many people in Amsterdam that many people would see that floating body (bloat).

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I hope the best for Richard, but lately it seems like every month a male tourist goes missing in Amsterdam. For some reason it is always a male tourist. In November it was a Scottish tourist Chris Nelson and in December the Norwegian Tore Grodem. Both were eventually found dead in the water, but only weeks after they went missing. It is sad. Stay away from the water.

That's the problem, it's impossible to stay away from the water in Amsterdam.

 

[sherlockh]

That's the problem, it's impossible to stay away from the water in Amsterdam.

You don't walk directly by the waterside though. You walk on the street or on the sidewalk by the houses. You won't get that close to the water if you are just walking around. They researched it a few years ago and it is almost always drunk men that specifically go to the waterside to relieve themselves and fall forward.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2012/01/amsterdam_canals_are_dangerous/

 

[CoverMeCagney]

You don't walk directly by the waterside though. You walk on the street or on the sidewalk by the houses. You won't get that close to the water if you are just walking around. They researched it a few years ago and it is almost always drunk men that specifically go to the waterside to relieve themselves and fall forward.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2012/01/amsterdam_canals_are_dangerous/

I meant generally you can't avoid water in Dam as it's everywhere! It's one of the (many) reasons I love it; the canals, bridges and unique style of architecture is very pretty. It's a very colourful city, or maybe that's just my perception as I leave a nice coffee shop

Interesting re men falling in going for a wee, would it be the water temperature that kills them because it's not like the water is very fast running. There must be a fair few who fall in but get back out ok.

 

[gregjrichards]

I see from the fb page that his family are travelling over there. Hope they find him safe and well

They must be going through absolute hell it's bad enough having your loved one missing in your own country let alone a foreign one. It's very sad Richard is still missing. I understand this is totally out of character for him. I was hoping he would show up in CCTV somewhere.

 

[otto]

I hope the best for Richard, but lately it seems like every month a male tourist goes missing in Amsterdam. For some reason it is always a male tourist. In November it was a Scottish tourist Chris Nelson and in December the Norwegian Tore Grodem. Both were eventually found dead in the water, but only weeks after they went missing. It is sad. Stay away from the water.

So often, when a body is found in a waterway, it is assumed that it is a drowning simply because that possibility cannot be excluded. It's easy to believe that Richard fell into the canal and drowned except for the facts surrounding Tore Grodem, who disappeared Dec 19, was found Jan 9, and whose phone and bank account were used a week prior to the discovery of his body. If Tore simply fell into the water and drowned, his phone would not be activated almost two weeks later. Is it possible that the three men were accosted, that they gave up their cell phones and bank information under threat, and were then thrown into the canal?

 

[otto]

The author of this Wordpress site seems to be questioning the deaths/drownings of several men in Amsterdam, and in some cases the circumstances are as strange as that of Tore Grodem.

https://maudoortwijn.wordpress.com/2015/08/20/dode-man-gevonden-amsterdam-opnieuw-een-bericht/

 

[cuffem]

You don't walk directly by the waterside though. You walk on the street or on the sidewalk by the houses. You won't get that close to the water if you are just walking around. They researched it a few years ago and it is almost always drunk men that specifically go to the waterside to relieve themselves and fall forward.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2012/01/amsterdam_canals_are_dangerous/

I have walked many places right next to water with no railing.Amsterdam is famous for public urination and has public open urinals everywhere to deter going to the canals or urinating in the street.
Walking in not easy in Amsterdam you have 2 feet of sidewalk wide and another path for bikes.You really have to keep alert not to get run over by bikes,scooters or cars.Not alot of room for walking on sidewalks.

 

[cuffem]

I can't imagine anyone volunteering for the job of canal diver. A body in the canal will eventually float, and there are so many people in Amsterdam that many people would see that floating body (bloat).

Of course LE has dive teams,if you have bodies of water in a city you are going to have dive teams.No need for volunteers.

 

[otto]

Of course LE has dive teams,if you have bodies of water in a city you are going to have dive teams.No need for volunteers.

It doesn't sound like dive teams are used to search canals. Regarding Tore Grodem, a boat with sonar was used to investigate.

"En båt med sonar ble satt inn i søket etter nordmannen, og også det nederlandske forsvaret deltok i søket. Det var søkt i det samme området før, men da kun med politiets utstyr."

http://www.nrk.no/rogaland/forgjeves-kanalsok-etter-tore-grodem-1.12135266

Translate: "A boat with sonar was put into the search for northern man, and also the Dutch defense participated in the search. It was applied in the same area before, but then only with police equipment."

 

[cuffem]

It doesn't sound like dive teams are used to search canals. Regarding Tore Grodem, a boat with sonar was used to investigate.

"En båt med sonar ble satt inn i søket etter nordmannen, og også det nederlandske forsvaret deltok i søket. Det var søkt i det samme området før, men da kun med politiets utstyr."

http://www.nrk.no/rogaland/forgjeves-kanalsok-etter-tore-grodem-1.12135266

Translate: "A boat with sonar was put into the search for northern man, and also the Dutch defense participated in the search. It was applied in the same area before, but then only with police equipment."

I would assume that sonar is first used and then a diver would be sent.I have seen this in Belgium.I don't think a family wants to wait til their loved one floats back up to be retreaved.

 

[otto]

I would assume that sonar is first used and then a diver would be sent.I have seen this in Belgium.I don't think a family wants to wait til their loved one floats back up to be retreaved.

Agreed, if something is found with sonar, that would justify a dive team. In the case of Tore Grodem, I understand that sonar was used after the location of his body was known. I rather doubt that dive teams are used to search canals in general because they are dangerous, busy waterways.

 

[cuffem]

http://www.nltimes.nl/2015/11/23/divers-search-amsterdam-canals-for-missing-scottish-tourist/
Divers were used.

 

[pinklilies]

On Saturday, Richard's older brother Lee Thornhill flew out to Holland to help with the search.

The 35-year-old was met at Amsterdam Schiphol airport by Dutch police who showed him the parts of the city Richard may have visited around the time of his disappearance.

Yesterday police confirmed that all canals in the area near where Richard went missing had been swept and no body had been found.



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