The family of a former California sheriff’s deputy who went missing in Greece said the search for him is over, but they think he may have been killed.
On June 11, Albert Calibet, who had been a deputy sheriff in Los Angeles County until 2018, went missing. He was on leave and getting ready to go to the Greek island of Amorgos. His family said he had been to the island many times since 2009.
The town of Amorgos said on Facebook on June 12 that Calibet, who is 59 years old, had taken the path from the Asphontylite region to the village of Katapola. When he went missing, he was wearing Bermuda shorts and a dark shirt, police said.
His brother Oliver Calibet wrote on the family’s verified GoFundMe page on Monday that the search was over after “relentless efforts and determination” to find him.
He wrote, “Albert is still missing.” “I deeply fear that foul play has occurred as we found zero evidence of Albert anywhere on the island.”
The phone numbers given for Oliver Caliber could not be used to get in touch with him for comment.
Officials say that helicopters, drones, and local teams were used in the large-scale search for Calibet. Oliver Caliber said they “encountered numerous obstacles and roadblocks from the Greek authorities, which hindered our search and added to our anguish.”
He also said that the U.S. Embassy wasn’t very helpful. The State Department told NBC News that they were aware of stories that an American was missing in Greece but couldn’t say anything else because of privacy concerns.
“When a U.S. citizen goes missing, we work closely with local authorities to help them search, and we share information with families in any way we can,” a spokesperson said in an email on Tuesday. “The Department of State has no higher priority than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad.”
Oliver Caliber said they “left the island fearing for our health and safety; endless hiking of the island was taking a huge toll on our bodies.”
“At this time, I am uncertain of our next steps,” he said.
“I also wish to thank the search and rescue teams who assisted us and those that donated to the GoFundMe to make search and rescue efforts possible,” he said. “We were truly hoping for a different outcome.”
It’s been a while since two other tourists went missing in Greece. One of them, Michael Mosley, a British TV host and health champion, was found dead in a rocky area on the Greek island of Symi last month.
Mosley, 67, went hiking by himself when it was very hot outside. The police said he died of natural causes.
The second guest was discovered dead on Mathraki’s beach. The person’s name has not been made public by the authorities.
