An American staffer from the U.S. Mission in Colombia is missing and is presumed dead after a boating accident over the weekend, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday in Bogota, CNN reported.
The accident occurred off the coast of Cartagena, according to the Colombian Navy, which said it rescued 11 of the 12 passengers who were on the boat at the time of the incident.
A State Department spokesman said "Other government personnel … were rescued from the capsized boat, some sustaining moderate injuries ... We appreciate the Colombian government's continued search-and-rescue operation in search of the missing American employee."
The missing worker's relatives have been notified, Pompeo said, but they were not announcing the person's name for privacy considerations. The State Department spokesman said the employee had been "on temporary assignment to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota."
Pompeo expressed grief over the tragedy, saying "You have my word the department will do everything in our power to comfort and support those who have suffered from this devastating loss."
Colombian President Ivan Duque, who was alongside Pompeo when the secretary of state made the announcement, also offered his condolences.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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