NEGRIL, Westmoreland – The Westmoreland police fear that a missing American visitor who was vacationing at Grand Lido, Negril may have drowned after he went scuba diving with a friend three days ago.

The missing man has been identified as Gregory Grethen 55 years old sales representative of Statles, St Claire Shore Michigan, United States.

According to Constable Odean Dennis, Constabulary Communication Network Liaison Officer for Westmoreland, around 9:30 am Friday, Gregory Grethen who was vacationing at Grand Lido, Negril went missing after he and a friend went scuba diving.

It is reported that Grethen failed to surface after a dive nearly a mile out at sea.

An extensive underwater and surface search by divers from several hotels in the Negril resort area, the Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) Coast Guard and the Negril marine police, failed to detect the missing man.

The search was called off at nightfall, and resumed Saturday, again with no sign of Grethen.

The Negril marine police continue investigations.

Meanwhile, Zein Nakash, Grand Lido’s vice president of marketing and environmental affairs, describing the incident as ‘very, very sad’, said the hotel was doing everything in its power to find the American salesman.

“Very unfortunate incident – but we are hoping for the best,” said Nakash.

“Everybody is saddened and concerned over the missing guest. We called in the JDF for assistance and they had divers under water and helicopters searching the water surface but he is still not found,” Nakash told the Observer yesterday.

Grethen, who is said to be an experienced diver, was staying at the hotel with his wife who left the island Saturday. A brother of the missing man flew into the island Saturday, as the search continued.

– hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com