Cayman Islands (MyFoxBoston.com) -- A Massachusetts comic book artist has been missing in the Cayman Islands since Thursday.
At about 11:21 a.m., officers were alerted of a missing snorkeler off the East End, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Norman Lee, a middle-aged visitor from Weymouth, was snorkeling with his wife near their resort when the pair was separated about 250 yards off shore. The woman was able to return safely to the beach and the search for her husband began.
"RCIPS Joint Marine Unit with 2 vessels responded to the report along 3 vessels from the Department of Environment, Marine Enforcement Unit, Cayman Helicopter, divers and other water sport operators in the area, are assisting with Wave Runners," RCIPS said in a release.
Search crews and volunteers have been scoping the area where Lee was last seen since Thursday, however, there have been no signs of him, his clothes or his gear. He was last seen shirtless, wearing white beach shorts, black and blue fins as well as clear goggles.
Lee is a successful comic book artist and spent a lot of time in Quincy at New England Comics. The people who know him there cannot believe he went missing.
"I feel really, really bad, you know, because it is someone you know, it's your friend," Doreen Greeley said.
He was well known in the comic book world as he works at Marvel and DC Comics. His Facebook page was filled Saturday with posts from family and friends talking about his talent and what a nice guy he was.
"I think he just loved cartoons and comics, he just had that feel for it. Some of them make it successfully and some of them don't," Greeley said.
Search crews in the Cayman Islands say the currents where Lee was last seen are extremely strong and that was likely a factor in his disappearance.