Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
IN RECENT weeks police have taken to the air, searched underwater caves and combed the land in a failed bid to find missing American travel writer Claudia Kirschhoch.
Last week investigators searched the caves along Negril's seaside cliffs. Just over two weeks ago, in response to a request from Claudia's father, Fred Kirschhoch, police mounted a helicopter search for the 29-year-old journalist who disappeared a month ago from the resort town of Negril.
"The entire coastline of Negril in Westmoreland and the terrain of Green Island in Hanover were searched by land, air and sea," said Detective Superintendent John Morris, crime chief for Area One.
Despite a reward that doubled from $500,000 to $1 million there has been no lead as to her whereabouts, said the police.
Detective Superintendent Morris said none of the tips from the public has borne success to date.
Miss Kirschhoch was last seen on May 27, at Beaches Hotel in Negril. She was among a group of four people en route to Sandals Varadero in Cuba. Arrangements for that trip fell through and Claudia and a colleague, Tanya Grossinger, were given accommodation at Beaches.
Detective Superintendent Morris said he had heard rumours that Miss Kirschhoch has left for Cuba, but was unable to verify the reports.
Replying to another report that a credit card belonging to the missing woman was still being used, the police superintendent said during the investigations one credit card was handed over to her family. In respect of her other card, Superintendent Morris said investigations had revealed that it was last used on May 23, the day before she arrived in Jamaica.
