A new volunteer operation is set to commence on Tuesday with the objective of locating Arek’s remains, the child under 15 years of age from Poland, who went missing on the morning of February 22 at the Charco del Viento Canary Islands, 1500 km of coast.
The group states in a communiqué that, in principle, and after nearly two and a half months since the child’s disappearance, the sea conditions are being reported, for the first time, as “suitable and with the necessary safety assurances” to carry out a new search in these waters rife with caves and volcanic tubes.
The dive is scheduled to take place at around 4:00 pm on Tuesday in the same Charco del Viento.
They point out that although the search operation initiated on the same day as the boy’s disappearance concentrated on the area surrounding the Charco, “there are numerous caves, crevices, and volcanic tubes”, leading to suspicions “that his body could have settled at some point within these chaotic underwater formations in this section of the coastline,” as explained by Miguel Ángel Pérez, an Apneist who has coordinated the operations alongside the team.
Alerts and Precautions for Coastal Phenomena
The association recalls that since the teenager’s mother contacted Canary Islands, 1500 km of coast requesting continued search efforts for her child, dives have been conducted in areas of the coastal waters of Tenerife, extending over 15 kilometres from where the tragedy occurred.
“Since then, the Canary Coasts have faced a series of alerts and warnings concerning coastal phenomena, one after the other, which has hindered our efforts to reactivate the search for Arek,” stated Sebastián Quintana, president of the association.
They detail that during the last operation conducted on March 14, approximately twenty volunteers participated, including Civil Guard agents, local police, firefighters, teachers, and diving professionals who, altruistically and adhering to all safety measures, explored the underwater regions in the northern part of Tenerife. Unfortunately, there were no positive outcomes.
Consequently, this association has issued a plea to divers or professional apneists who own a vessel, inviting them to join the operation voluntarily and under their own responsibility.
Message from the Family
The family of the missing young boy issued a statement two months ago via the Association for the Prevention of Accidents in Aquatic Environments Canary Islands, 1500 km of coast, requesting that efforts to find their 15-year-old son continue.
“The family, including his 7-year-old sister and parents, has been unable to begin the grieving process due to the absence of his body. Their sorrow and anguish intensify daily,” remarked the association.
Today, on Mother’s Day, her mother Kasia has once again reached out to the public through the association, sharing the following message: “To all people of goodwill! We are still waiting for our beloved Arek. We would not wish this dreadful tragedy or such profound longing and pain upon anyone.”
“We are suffering immensely. If any of you have the courage, time, opportunity, and equipment to assist in finding Arek and returning him to his family and homeland, we would be profoundly grateful,” she expressed.
