California Woman Missing After Yoga Retreat in Guatemala: ‘Time is of the Essence’

A California woman went missing during a yoga retreat in Guatemala in October, and her family is still searching for answers.

On Oct. 19, 29-year-old Nancy Ng went missing in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, according to a GoFundMe shared by the family.

The Monterey Park woman, who works for the Alhambra Unified School District, was on her second annual weekly yoga retreat abroad when the retreat organizer called her family a few days later to let them know she was missing, according to local Los Angeles network KTLA.

“The last two weeks have been hell because when we first got the news that she was missing, we had so many questions,” Nicky Ng, Nancy’s sister, told KTLA. “What happened? Where is she now? Any chance she’s alive? We didn’t know anything.”

Nancy Ng.

GoFundMe

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According to GoFundMe, Nancy’s family has been working with Guatemala’s National Tourism Assistance Program in the search. The family has also been in contact with the FBI and the State Department, who have been in contact with Guatemalan authorities, according to local ABC affiliate KABC-TV.

The FBI also confirmed to KTLA and NBC News that officials are cooperating with the government of Guatemala — which is ultimately leading the investigation.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson told PEOPLE on Monday that the department is aware of reports of a missing U.S. citizen in Lake Atitlán and that the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala is in contact with local authorities and is “closely following their investigation.”

Chris Sharpe, co-owner of Black Wolf Helicopters, told KTLA that so far there has been “no confirmation” of “where she went in, where she disappeared” in Lake Atitlán.

According to media reports, a private search and rescue team has searched 95 percent of the lake with the help of divers and drones. The family told NBC News that the Guatemalan Navy called off the search after 72 hours, prompting them to hire Black Wolf.

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“We have a rough idea, but it varies from one side of the pond to the other,” Sharpe said, adding that primary witnesses were not forthcoming with the information.

“We’re begging you: If anyone has seen anything that can help us, just direct us where to look,” Nicky told KABC. “Because we need answers.”

The family was told, according to KABC, that Nancy was last seen kayaking with others during the retreat. “For me, this is now becoming a criminal investigation because the witnesses who were there at a certain time are not available,” Sharpe told the news outlet.

Jared Lopez, Nicky’s partner who started the GoFundMe for Nancy, said the funds raised will help support the Ng family and ongoing search efforts — including helicopter teams, diver equipment, boat rescue teams, the “potential use” of a submarine and sonar equipment. and travel expenses, as well as financial support for the family.

In the fundraiser, he describes Nancy as a “caring daughter, loving sister and supportive friend.”

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In an Oct. 30 update, Lopez wrote that “an extensive search of the lake” was conducted by Black Wolf Helicopters, the Bomberos Voluntarios Air Rescue Section, the Bomberos Dive Team and local volunteers.

“Due to the lack of this imperative information, the search is now the subject of an investigation by local prosecutors, the FBI and the US State Department,” he wrote, noting that key witnesses have returned to the US

“Time is of the essence, and we are racing against time to bring Nancy home,” the Ng family said in a statement to KTLA.

“It was a constant nightmare, not knowing what happened to Nancy or if we would ever get her back. All my family wants is to bring our sister/daughter home. Please help us do this.”

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Source: HIS Education