E-Paper
Family in ‘living hell’ as California woman mysteriously vanishes from Guatemala yoga retreat
Nancy Ng left for a getaway on October 14, and just a few days later, her family got a call from the organiser of the retreat, who claimed she was missing
A Southern California woman reportedly went missing from a yoga retreat at a tourist spot in Guatemala. 29-year-old Nancy Ng’s family said it is a “living hell” right now, trying to get information about her.
Nancy, from Monterey Park, was staying near Lake Atitlán when she disappeared, New York Post reported. Lake Atitlán is a massive water body located within a volcanic crater.
Nancy left for a getaway on October 14, and just a few days later, her family got a call from the organiser of the retreat, who claimed she was missing. “The last two weeks have been a living hell because when we first got the news that she was missing, we just had so many questions,” Nancy’s sister Nicky Ng told KTLA.
“What happened? Where is she now? Is there a chance she’s alive? We didn’t know anything,” she added.
It is unclear exactly when Nancy vanished, but she was reported missing on October 19. The former Cal State law student assists students with disabilities at the Alhambra Unified School District.
Nancy’s younger sister said it was her second year attending the yoga retreat. “Last year, she woke up every morning just to spend some time there by herself without the group and this year was going to be more exciting because they had planned activities on the lake,” she said.
‘We don’t know where she went in, where she went missing’
Nancy’s family has been in touch with the State Department, the FBI and local search and rescue teams in Guatemala ever since she disappeared. The Guatemalan government has been leading the investigation with the FBI’s help. However, local rescue teams have already searched around 95% of the lake by air and land. Divers were involved in the search, and drones were used.
“We don’t know where she went in, where she went missing because there’s no corroboration of that,” said Chris Sharpe, the co-owner of Black Wolf Helicopters, who is helping in the search efforts. “We’ve got a rough idea, but it varies from one side of the lake to the other.” Chris added that people who might have information on the case have not been coming forward.
Nancy is the eldest of four siblings. “My role here is just to make sure no stone is left unturned and make sure that we try everything we can possible,” her brother Jonathan Ng said.
A GoFundMe has been launched to seek help in the search efforts for Nancy. “She loves yoga, traveling, hiking with her family, and cuddling with her cat. She has a kind heart, a big smile, and can talk to anyone about anything (and often, everything). She’s a caring daughter, a loving sister, and a supportive friend,” the page says of Nancy.
“Time is of the essence, and we are racing against the clock to bring Nancy home,” her family said in a statement to KTLA. “It has been an ongoing nightmare, not knowing what happened to Nancy or if we will ever get her back. All my family wants is to bring our sister/daughter home. Please help us do so.”
