Urgent Search for Missing NC Mom Elizabeth Waddell After She Vanishes From Grenada Beach

Cary, North Carolina—The frantic search for Elizabeth “Liz” Waddell, a 44-year-old physical therapist and mother who vanished while swimming off Grenada’s famed Grand Anse Beach, entered its eighth day Thursday amid mounting questions and an intensified island-wide sweep by local authorities and U.S. officials. Timeline of a Disappearance • 11:36 a.m., July 22: Resort surveillance video shows Waddell, clad in a swimsuit and carrying a towel, walking alone along a jetty outside her Airbnb. • 11:51 a.m.: Cameras capture her removing the towel and wading into calm, five-foot-deep water. • 12:04 p.m.: She is still visible swimming parallel to shore. No footage shows her exit. • 12:46 p.m.: A travel companion steps outside to look for her, then alerts authorities when Waddell fails to return. Search Effort Widens The Royal Grenada Police Force has deployed Coast Guard vessels, dive teams, drones and a K-9 unit to scour the coastline and nearby coves. Investigators are also reviewing boat traffic logs and interviewing jet-ski operators who reported seeing a lone woman in open water later that afternoon; the unidentified swimmer allegedly declined assistance, insisting she was “a strong swimmer,” according to newly released accounts. Family’s Plea Waddell’s husband, Cailen, flew to Grenada and personally retraced her presumed route, describing currents as mild and the reef-lined bay as “more like a lake than the Atlantic” while urging vacationers to check personal footage for clues. Loved ones remember Liz as an avid yogi and community volunteer known for “helping anyone who needed a hand.” Official Response • The U.S. State Department confirmed it is assisting the family and coordinating with Grenadian investigators. • Police Commissioner Randy Connaught stated the probe remains a missing-person case; foul play has not been ruled out. • Authorities released still images from beachfront cameras and asked hotels between Morne Rouge and Point Salines to preserve recordings from midday July 22. How Tourists Can Help Travelers who were on Grand Anse Beach between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on July 22 are urged to share photos, GoPro clips or drone footage with detectives at cid@rgpf.gd or call +1 473-440-3921. Even casual snapshots could capture background vessels or movements critical to the investigation. Safety Reminders for Caribbean Swimmers • Always alert companions before solo swims and set a check-in time. • Note changing tides; reef shelves can mask sudden drop-offs. • Use bright swim caps or floats to increase visibility to boaters. As search teams comb reef crevices and sonar-map the bay floor, the community in Cary and on Grenada holds out hope. Anyone with information that could help find Elizabeth Waddell—and bring closure to her family—is urged to come forward immediately.