Hopes for lost boy fading fast

The search for 13-year-old Marc Gil resumed in waters near Alcudia yesterday morning, but just after midday, the search and rescue teams were forced to abandon their hunt for the young boy missing in the sea since Sunday. The body of his eight-year-old brother Angel was dragged out of the sea after being found by Guardia Civil divers on Monday, but poor visibility forced rescue teams to postpone Monday's search and the weather closed in again yesterday with rescue workers and police returning to dry land empty handed and the family and friends having to deal with the pain of not knowing. For three hours, Guardia Civil divers searched an area of 300 square metres to a depth of 18 metres near where the body of Angel was found while helicopters and spotter planes covered a wider area from the air. All that was found was a white T-shirt, thought to be that of Angel Gil, but it still served as an important reference point as to where to centre the search. Six Guardia Civil divers took part in yesterday's search with the support of a salvage vessel. Most of the activity took place off Cap de Minorca, where the two boys were washed into the sea by a large wave while on an excursion with their father to an old cave used by smugglers. The Guardia Civil officer in charge of the diving operation, Jose Antonio Gonzalez, said yesterday afternoon, that the heavy seas may well have pulled the 13-year-old's body further along the coast and that, as more time expires, hopes of locating the body are fading. A number of the divers were reported showing the first signs of hypothermia when the search was called off - at this time of year, sea temperature drops to around 10ºC. Sargeant Gonzalez believes that the young lad's body has been dragged under - forcing the divers to spend a great deal of time submerged in the cold water. Last night, as the Guardia Civil worked on completing their report, the father of the two brothers lost at sea, Jordi Gil, was expected to give a statement at the police station in Pollensa. He leapt into the sea after his kids and, when found at 9pm, was suffering from hypothermia and severe emotional shock. The shock has made it very difficult for the father to talk to police over the past few days. It was revealed yesterday that Jordi managed to guide the police into where the accident had happened on his mobile “the sea has taken my children,” he told police repeatedly “my sons have drowned, I'm alone and naked,” the father said as police rushed to the scene. By the time the Guardia Civil had managed to locate and reach the cave there was no sign of either of the two bodies.