Date: October 2023
Location: Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
In October 2023, an American citizen went missing in Lake Atitlán—the deepest lake in Central America, with depths reaching over 300 meters. Early search efforts were hampered by limited technical resources availability, cooperation from witnesses and the abrupt departure of some of the individual’s travel companions, leaving the family without answers.
Over the course of a month-long investigation, Rescue International supported authorities by analyzing all available information to reduce uncertainty and define a high-confidence Point Last Seen (PLS). Leveraging referral support from the U.S. Embassy, we collaborated with INTERPOL, the Guatemalan Ministry of the Interior, and private search teams.
Together, we developed a technically sound, actionable search strategy tailored to the challenging underwater terrain. This coordination was instrumental in transitioning the case from stalled speculation to a focused, operational search.
The case remains open, and search efforts are still ongoing. Rescue International continues to support the subject’s family and authorities in their mission to achieve resolution. This case highlights the role of sustained, data-driven collaboration in complex, long-duration missing person operations.
