Frogmen search for missing fisherman

THE SEARCH continued yesterday for missing Larnaca fisherman Christakis Xenophontos after he failed to return from a fishing trip on Friday night.

Police still hope that he may be alive as there was a chance Xenophontos was wearing a life jacket.

Yesterday marked the third day since the disappearance of the 39-year-old fisherman from Dromolaxia. He had set out in his unpowered fishing boat, the Solea, at about 6pm on Friday. He had intended to cast his nets off the coast of Meneou but had failed to return home that evening.

The empty Solea was eventually found on the morning of Saturday, drifting 13 miles off Cape Kiti. It was towed into Larnaca marina by police.

Having combed the area without success on Sunday, police searched the Meneou-Kiti coastline again yesterday. Police frogmen also carried out investigations whenever weather conditions permitted as intermittent rain caused difficulties.

The Search and Rescue Centre of Larnaca airport is co-ordinating the investigation in collaboration with Larnaca police and the air-force of Larnaca harbour police.

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