Relatives of a California woman who disappeared while on a yoga retreat in Guatemala have released the final haunting video of paddling off the beach in a kayak – while challenging local authorities who believe she later drowned.
Nancy Ng, 29, of Monterey Park, was seen smiling and waving from a kayak on Oct. 19, shortly before she disappeared while living near Lake Atitlán, as seen in footage shared with “Good Morning America.”
The Guatemalan prosecutor’s office said that a woman with Ng told authorities that they advanced “about two kilometers deeper into the lake, where the missing woman told” witnesses that “she wanted to swim.”
“And that’s when he drowned,” prosecutors told ABC News, with rescuers saying they found his empty kayak.
However, Ng’s family refused to believe that simple explanation — claiming it took more than 24 hours for her to be reported missing, with others still not saying what they knew.
Nancy Ng, the 29-year-old California woman who disappeared while on a yoga retreat in Guatemala, is believed by local authorities to have drowned, but her family doubts that explanation. They also released the last known video of him.ABC 7
“There were people who witnessed what happened, in the group, who didn’t come forward,” Nancy’s sister Nicky Ng told ABC News in an emotional interview.
“We racked our brains why they wouldn’t want to come forward and help, if nothing bad happened.”
Fire and rescue officials told ABC News that there were reports that Ng was last seen about half a mile from shore and that his kayak was later found empty.
The video shows Ng kayaking shortly before he disappeared on Oct 19. ABC 7
The FBI has offered resources to assist in the search, while the US State Department is monitoring the current investigation into contact with Guatemalan officials, ABC News said.
“My father … he keeps his phone next to him at night,” the missing sister said.
“He was hoping for a ransom call, you know, something that would prove that Nancy might be alive and she’s out there, that she’s waiting for us to find her,” he said.
Ng lives near Lake Atitlán and it is unclear when he disappeared. Family Distribution
The family has also hired a private search team led by Black Wolf Helicopters owner Chris Sharpe.
“We’ve searched 99% of the lake — that’s with helicopters, drones, boat crews,” Sharpe told ABC News, adding that the terrain and lack of information have complicated search efforts.
“To me, this is now a criminal investigation because the witnesses who were there at the material time will not be exposed,” he told ABC 7.
Ng’s family said people who were with him took 24 hours to report him missing. Family Distribution
The family said Ng, a fitness enthusiast and former Cal State law student, worked with special needs children in the Alhambra Unified School District.
Her younger sister said it was her second year attending the retreat, and had previously spoken fondly of the experience and the beautiful area where she lived.
“Last year, he woke up every morning just to spend time there alone without the group and this year will be more interesting because they have planned activities at the lake,” he said.
Ng had attended yoga treatments before and reportedly loved the experience. Family Distribution
Ng’s mother, Stephanie Li, told ABC News simply: “Please help us bring Nancy home.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
