14 After Cayman Islands Dive at Barracuda Wall off Seven Mile Beach (Update: Classified as Search & Recovery)

57 year old David Byles of Pinehurst, NC has been missing since Sunday, January 20, 2014 in the Cayman Islands. David Byles went missing during an organized dive at Barracuda Wall off Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach. According to accounts, Byles did surface with his wife from the dive and was in the process of swimming back to the dive boat when he disappeared. The dive company, Sunset Divers, part of the Sunset House diving resort in George Town, reported Byles missing on Sunday morning. Police air and marine units along with volunteers joined in the search for the missing tourist. Search efforts for the missing man have turned up his scuba tank, buoyancy control device and an article of his clothing in the water Monday. The items were located by police and volunteer divers at approximately 10:10 a.m. this morning, around 110 feet off the Barracuda Wall. However, David Byles is still missing.

Rita and Dave Byles

The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said 57-year-old David Byles of Pinehurst, North Carolina, was last seen Sunday morning during an organized dive at Barracuda Wall off Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach.

Byles had surfaced with his wife after a dive and they were swimming about 100 yards back to the boat when he vanished from view, police said. An immediate search of the area by the boat’s crew failed to find him.

Since then, police divers and various other personnel have conducted marine and air searches. The missing man’s scuba tank, buoyancy control device and an article of his clothing were found in the water Monday, but there was no sign of Byles, authorities said.

UPDATE I: Cayman 27 – Search for missing diver to continue for 3rd day.

Updates, pics and VIDEO can be seen at Cayman 27.

UPDATE II: Search for diver now classed as ‘search and recovery’.

The search for missing diver David Byles continued into its third day and hope is dwindling that Mr. Byles will be found alive. Police have confirmed their efforts have now been classified as a “search and recovery” mission.

“We are now in our third day of searching,” said Inspector Ian Yearwood in a press statement to Cayman 27. “It’s clear to everyone involved that it’s now extremely unlikely that Mr. Byles will be found alive. We have shared our concerns with his wife and we continue to keep her fully updated as to the status of the search and of any developments.”

The search for Mr. Byles continues and Inspector Ian Yearwood is calling on any boat owners or divers who can assist in the search this afternoon to contact him on the following numbers – 649-7803 or 526-3159.