RIDGEFIELD, Conn. Underwater search teams spent hours Monday combing through the dank water of three ponds in the area where a 23-year-old from Somers, N.Y., went missing in Ridgefield early Sunday.
As of 5 p.m. Monday, Alex Bergman had not been found despite the efforts of the Ridgefield police and fire departments, state police K9 units and the Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue team.
Its zero visibility, said Nicholas Kopcik, president of the underwater search team. Youre feeling, youre not seeing. The divers were disturbing the silt bottom and the waters were not clear, Kopcik said.
Bergman was reported missing to police at 3 p.m. Sunday nearly 12 hours after witnesses saw him leave the pool at a friends house on Ridgebury Road. According to Ridgefield Fire Chief Heather Burford, Bergman left the residence without his shoes, belongings or phone, which caused a lot of concern.
When you first hear that a 23-year-old capable, healthy adult male is missing, you dont think too much of it. Typically people have a reason for wandering off or leaving their friends. And this isnt the case, said Burford. He has a good job in New Jersey. He has a loving family that is concerned about him, and no reason to disappear without some sort of mystery to it."
The search covered a mile with nine police dogs, including Zeus from Ridgefield, Ridgefield Police Capt. Bryan Terzian said. Helicopters from the Connecticut state police and Westchester County police joined the search Sunday evening. Were searching pretty much the whole area here, Terzian said. Were just trying to exhaust every possible location of where the individual could be.
Bergman is described as 6 feet, 2 inches tall, 190 to 200 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing white and blue swimming trunks.
Bergman's parents are not currently in the country, Burford said. They were returning home from a vacation in Italy.
Anyone with information on Bergmans whereabouts is asked to call the Ridgefield Police Department at 203-438-6531.
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