The family of a retired California sheriff’s deputy missing in Greece said the search for him has ended but they fear foul play is involved in his disappearance.
Albert Calibet, who left the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 2018, was on vacation and getting ready to head to the Greek island of Amorgos when he vanished on June 11. His family said he had repeatedly visited the island since 2009.
The municipality of Amorgos said in a June 12 Facebook post that Calibet, 59, had followed the route from the Asphontylite region toward the village of Katapola. He had been wearing Bermuda shorts and a dark shirt when he disappeared, officials said.
Calibet’s brother, Oliver, said Monday in a post on the family’s verified GoFundMe page that the search had concluded following “relentless efforts and determination” to find him.
“Albert remains missing,” he wrote. “I deeply fear that foul play has occurred as we found zero evidence of Albert anywhere on the island.”
Oliver Calibet could not be reached at phone numbers listed for him.
Officials have said that the search for Calibet was extensive and involved helicopters, drones and local crews. But Oliver Calibet said they “encountered numerous obstacles and roadblocks from the Greek authorities, which hindered our search and added to our anguish.”
He also said the U.S. Embassy provided little assistance. A spokesperson for the Department of State told NBC News the agency was aware of reports of a missing American in Greece, but could not provide further comment due to privacy reasons.
“When a U.S. citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities as they carry out their search efforts, and we share information with families however we can,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement Tuesday. “The Department of State has no higher priority than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad.”
Oliver Calibet said the family “left the island fearing for our own 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 wrote.
“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 continued. “We were truly hoping for a different outcome.”
Two other tourists have disappeared recently in Greece. One of them, British television presenter and healthy living advocate Michael Mosley, was found dead in a rocky area on the Greek island of Symi last month.
Mosley, 67, had gone on a hike alone amid unusually hot weather. Investigators said he died of natural causes.
The second tourist was found dead near a beach on Mathraki. Officials have not released the person’s name.
