US woman vanishes after swimming off Grenada beach, not seen on CCTV returning

Elizabeth Waddell, 44, from North Carolina has been missing since 22 July after entering the sea near Grand Anse Beach. Surveillance footage shows her swimming but not returning to shore.

North Carolina woman last captured on camera entering water near St. George's jetty

A 44-year-old American woman has been missing in Grenada since Wednesday, 22 July, after surveillance footage recorded her entering the sea near Grand Anse Beach and failing to return, the Royal Grenada Police Force has confirmed. 6abc.com reports that Elizabeth "Liz" Waddell, from Cary, North Carolina, was on holiday with a friend when she disappeared.

According to investigators, CCTV footage shows Waddell walking toward a jetty close to her Airbnb at 11:36 a.m. She was dressed in a swimsuit and sat on the jetty for several minutes before removing her towel and entering the water at approximately 11:51 a.m. She was captured swimming at 12:04 p.m. No footage shows her returning to shore.

At around 12:46 p.m., the same cameras recorded her friend stepping outside to look for her before going back in alone, police said. Waddell was subsequently reported missing, triggering an immediate search operation by Grenadian authorities.

During a news conference on Tuesday, a Grenada police commissioner confirmed Waddell remains missing and that the case continues to be treated as a missing persons investigation. Investigators said they are still reviewing evidence and reconstructing her movements in the hours before she disappeared.

Her husband, Cailen Waddell, has spoken publicly about the woman he describes as compassionate and outgoing. "My wife is a loving, free-spirited person," he said. "She can make friends with anyone, and she often did. She placed great value in her intuition about people and was always willing to help someone."

Waddell worked as a physical therapist and as an Aradia Fitness instructor in Cary. Friends and family describe her as someone who cared deeply about others and was always willing to lend a hand.

The U.S. State Department told ABC News it was aware of Waddell's disappearance and was assisting the family with missing persons documentation. The agency declined to comment further, citing privacy concerns.

Grenadian authorities are asking anyone with information about Waddell's whereabouts to come forward and contact police.

Source: Google News GD — Crime