Family members cling to hope as search for missing women drags on

While many volunteers retired to their homes dejected after yesterday’s fruitless nationwide search for two missing women, the father of one of the two is resolute that his daughter is alive despite what others may think.
OBSERVER media spoke with the father of 26-year-old Vincia James while he and others took part in the operation.
Frustrated and weary, he did not offer his name but said, “She is not dead … This is too long for my daughter to be missing. I have cried enough. I can’t cry anymore. I love my daughter more than anything.”
The New Winthorpes woman was last seen leaving her workplace – Dixie Betting Company on Old Parham Road – on Friday and has not been seen or heard of since. Another woman – 21-year-old Osuide Simpson of Bathlodge has also been missing since last week Monday.
According to the Royal Police Force of Antigua & Barbuda (RPFAB) at least four major parties comprising police, military, and civilians began combing the island in the early hours of the morning beginning in Crabb’s, Diamonds Estate, New Winthorpes and Pares.
A sombre mood and an atmosphere of urgency surrounded the search parties.
Those who OBSERVER media encountered along the road at Diamond’s Estate said they were either friends of James or willing residents who shared concern for both missing women’s whereabouts and welfare.
Member of Parliament (MP) for St George, Dean Jones – who was part of a group of 50 to 60 people in the area of Diamonds Estate and Potworks Dam – gave an update of the morning’s progress.
“They’ve been around Diamonds. Some went around Potwork’s and others went in the Collins Dam area. We went through New Winthorpes this morning but officers had already covered that area with dogs earlier this morning.”
The MP added that there were “search teams in the Parham area and teams on the beaches and in Boggy Peak area, searching”. As the day progressed, the parties mostly led by policemen – fanned out so as to cover more ground.
(More in today’s Daily Observer)