WILLEMSTAD — The search for the American vice-consul James Hogan (49) continued unabated on September 28th 2009. Hogan was last seen on Thursday evening.
The authorities are not revealing much. For example, from Antillean side there is still no official confirmation that five police officers of the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are also involved with the large search since Saturday. Nor has it been confirmed whether the jeans found on Friday at the peninsula of the Caracas Bay belonged to Hogan. Furthermore, there is speculation on a puddle of blood found in the surrounding. The authorities are not revealing anything on this either.
According to a source, a crime is meanwhile being considered. The police, who are responsible for the search, have called a press conference this afternoon in which they hope to announce more details.
The VKC, coastguard, and rescue organization Citro were also deployed besides the police corps. Apart from the coastguard’s helicopter, a helicopter from the American navy vessel USS Carr, which is currently moored in the harbor, is also being used for the search. Citro stopped their search this morning. The police and coastguard continued their search in spite of the rain. Divers have also searched the Director Bay. For the time being, no assistance has been requested from the Dutch military with the search for Hogan.
The police announced that all possibilities are currently being investigated, including a crime, kidnapping, and a private matter. The American consulate on Curaçao had filed a missing person report on Friday of the man who had left home for a walk on Thursday evening.
The police circulated an official missing person report on Friday afternoon. Hogan is 1.84 meters long, has a sturdy figure, is fair-skinned, has straight red hair, blue-green eyes, and a round face. People disposing of information concerning Hogan and his disappearance, are requested to dial 911 or 108.
Local media report that Hogan had supposedly had an argument with his wife. The website iReport.com also announces the disappearance of the vice-consul. The iReport site is used to place articles that are not edited, or articles that contain information, which is not verified prior to posting such. Only those articles marked with ‘On CNN’ have been verified accurately.
One of the three reactions on the (non-verified) article, which was posted on the site last night, is supposedly from a daughter of Hogan. The writer states the following "There was no domestic dispute. My Dad and my mom have been married for 24 years and he has never once taken off after a fight. The lead the police have down there right now is that a woman who was fired from the office where my Dad Works, has criminal connections. Second of all, my mom hasnt heard ANYTHING about his clothes being found, or anything that might indicate anything positive. The local police insist she had something to do with his disappearance, and refuse to investigate the woman who was fired further. My family is going through enough without you printing bs stories!"
Continual contact
In a reaction on the disappearance, Premier Emily de Jongh-Elhage announced that she is very pleased with the cooperation between the institutes who are giving their all. "We immediately gave this disappearance priority." There is continual contact between the Directorate Foreign Affairs and the American consulate, just as with the American embassy in the Netherlands.