The Search

The US Coastguard's search for Travis and Bancroft lasted for four days – from December 24 to December 27, 2009, covering about 7,500 Square nautical miles in the area of the Plana Cays, Acklin Island, Crooked Island and Magauana island in the South Eastern Bahamas. In all, there were a total of 17 search exercises, utilizing helicopters, fixed wing aircrafts and ships, lasting for almost 50 hours, but with no positive results. Low degree searches continued by both the US and Bahamian authorities thereafter.

Despite waning hope the families engaged the services of two kind and devoted search and rescue personnel from Provendiciales, Beryl Nelson and Jeff Lee to search for their loved ones once again. On January 13th, 2010, search aircraft Cesna Skymaster N91016 departed Provendenciales for the Plana Cays area. On board were pilots: Jeff Lee and Alvardo Seymor and observers: Beryl Nelson and Randy Hall. A partial report of Mr. Nelson reads as follows:

“We spent over 45 minutes flying low over the island (Samana Cay), so for sure if anyone was there they would hear the plane. We saw absolutely no sign of any recent human activity, let alone any "distress signal" or identifiable wreckage…

No wreckage or other signs of the missing men were seen, during a very thorough aerial search of the land area, beaches, and surrounding shallows of Samana Cay, East Plana Cay, and West Plana Cay…

It has been a long and sad day, even though the rational part of me had held slim hope for a better outcome.”

Travis's brother Richard had made initial contact with Beryl Nelson, who immediately took the case on with a passion. So disturbed and disappointed were Mr. Nelson and Mr. Lee in the search results that the next day, January 14, they also undertook to they another search of Little Inagua and Great Inagua. The results of that day mirrored the first, and the sad reality began to take root, that perhaps our beloved ones would not be found alive.

The first conclusive evidence of the fatality came on January 21, when fishermen from Acklins Island visited West Plana Cay and discovered a body on shore. The body was airlifted to Nassau where it was positively identified as Bancroft's. The recovery of Bancroft's remains has helped to start the process of closure, but the pain of the loss of this outstanding young man still persists.

In an effort to find Travis, our family has engaged the services of Texas EquuSearch (TES), a U.S. search, rescue and recovery voluntary organization, to assist in the search. From the time they accepted the challenge to find Travis they have offered compassion, understanding, assistance, support, love, counsel and comfort beyond measure. It is unimaginable the selflessness and devotion of the personnel at TES, who have taken on the search for Travis ( as they do with every other  search) as though he was their very own son.

During the time of the Memorial Service held for Travis and Bancroft in Grenada on February 21, 2010, a three-man search party from TES arrived on Acklin Island to conduct a land search for Travis. John White, Ken Defoor and Michael Fitzpatrick, with the assistance of the Bahamian police, travelled by boat from Acklin island to the Plana Cays, and searched the jagged coastline of East and West Plana Cays, for three days – February 21-23. Bad weather, 8 foot waves, and razor-like rocky terrain made the search hazardous, however, they persisted. No marine underwater search was practical. Despite the fact that nothing significant was found, it was a successful reconnaissance exercise for TES, who plans to return to Plana Cays to conduct underwater searches for Travis.

For further information of the work of Texas EquuSearch, please visit their website at www.texasequusearch.org