Body Of Missing American Tourist - Drowned - Found in Bocas del Toro
After an intense search, the staff of the National System of Civil Protection (Sinaproc), the National Police, and the National Aero Naval Service found the floating body of Gene Bued, 33, who disappeared on Monday, 19 December 2011 Bastimentos Island. Gladys Conception, the regional Director of Sinaproc, said witnesses recounted that Buede was drinking on a boat early Monday morning, when he suddenly jumped into the water and was seen no more. It is the sixteenth death by drowning this year in Bocas del Toro. (Prensa)
Editor's Comment: OK, I have a few questions. First of all I would like to confirm the name of the victim. The Panamanian media is notorious for getting the names of US citizens wrong on the first pass in cases like this. Many times their sources in the National Police will say the name to them and not spell it out, so they tend to get it wrong sometimes. I did some searching for a 33 year old American named "Gene Bued" and got nothing, which is normally an indicator that they got the name wrong. Secondly, he's called a "tourist" in this article - was he really a tourist on a short visit or was he a resident and a member of the English speaking community of expatriates living in Panama in a "perpetual tourist" status? It seems pretty clear there are witness statements indicating he was drinking and he simply decided to jump into the water at some point, so there doesn't seem to by any indication of foul play. Anyway, I would appreciate some additional information and details if anyone has them, please send to don@panama-guide.com. And as always, confidentiality protected if requested. Thanks.
Copyright 2011 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
