Department of Public Safety acting spokesman PO2 Jason Tarkong said at about 6 a.m. yesterday, several teams searched for Jim Bell who was attempting to swim around Tinian last Saturday.
Bell earlier told DPS that he would swim from Southwest Carolinas Point to Kammer Beach.
The search and rescue began on Sunday morning when Bell failed to show up at Kammer Beach.
Emergency Management Office spokesman Juan Camacho said boats from DPS Tinian and Saipan, the Commonwealth Ports Authority, a Navy helicopter as well as private jetskis were involved in the search.
In Oct. 2008, Bell was rescued while attempting to swim to Tinian from Saipan.
Local and federal agencies were mobilized to look for him, costing the government about $25,000 in resources.
In a statement, Tarkong said Bell hung his apartment keys on Saturday at the Tinian fire office for safe keeping.
Bell expected to arrive at Kammer Beach between 4 and 5 p.m.
At 8 p.m. on the same day, DPS received a call from Tinian attorney Janet King, inquiring if Bell had checked in at the department regarding his swim.
Bell earlier informed her that he would be calling her right after his swim.
At about 8:10 p.m., Tinian DPS dispatched firefighters to check the cliff lines from Southwest Carolinas Point to Kammer Beach.
But they did not see any signs of Bell. They even tried to contact Bell by calling his cell phone which he carried every time he went out swimming, but there was no answer.
On Sunday, DPS Tinian activated police and fire/EMS personnel for the search and rescue operation.
DPS Tinian also requested assistance from CPA and DPS Saipan Boating Safety Unit.
Tarkong said several teams conducted land searches from Bell’s starting point to Tachogna.
Another team conducted a land search from Tachogna to Bell’s starting point.
The water teams included DPS Tinian Harbor Patrol, two jetskis, and the CPA Harbor Patrol.
At 6:30 p.m., Sunday, search and rescue teams ceased their operation and were told to start again the next morning.
