THE BOTTOM – The search for missing Dutch hiker Erik Matthijsen on Saba has been converted from a rescue operation to a recovery operation after three full days of searching. It is unlikely that Matthijsen will be found alive.
Matthijsen was last seen in the area around Well’s Bay. Search efforts took place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday without result. When the search was scaled back, he had been missing for 72 hours. Medical teams advised the authorities to change the nature of the search based on this timeline. Despite the extensive efforts, the operation yielded no results.
USAR team en route
The search continues. A team from USAR (Urban Search and Rescue), consisting of eleven people and nine dogs, was expected to arrive today to support the recovery operation.
Governor Jonathan Johnson announced the news via a video message on social media. "The nature of our search has therefore changed from rescue to recovery," said Johnson.
Source: statement by the Governor of Saba
