Thailand Calls Off Search for Missing Former Connecticut Guardsman

Relatives of the former Connecticut National Guardsman who vanished on a diving excursion in Thailand have returned from the Pacific with more questions than answers.

While in Thailand, Jennifer Bakowski boarded a helicopter and flew over the water where her brother Joshua Devine, 36, went missing April 11. She joined her mother, the governor of Phuket and members of the Thai marine police in their search.

"We circled all the Similan Islands that he was headed towards and then we went up to the two additional islands. We circled those," Bakowski described.

There's still no sign of Devine, a U.S. Army veteran and former Connecticut National Guardsman who worked as an IT specialist for a military contractor in Kuwait.

The avid scuba diver was on a diving excursion with his wife, a Thai native, when he reportedly drank too much, became agitated and disappeared, family members have said.

His family has criticized the initial investigation and questioned whether foul play was involved.

"There's something wrong with the version of events that happened. It just wouldn't, it's just not the way that Josh operated," said Bakowski.

While in Thailand, Devine's family met with U.S. Embassy officials and an FBI agent.

They left without finding any clues to Devine's whereabouts, and the official search ended shortly thereafter.

"We got some answers. We may not ever get all of our answers," said Bakowski.

While they fear Devine may have drowned, family members are holding out hope he's alive.

Bakowski brought a letter with her to Thailand written by her oldest daughter, Joshua's niece. They still have it and want him to read it.

"She thinks he's on an adventure meeting all sorts of new creatures that he's going to be able to share with her," said Bakowski. "So she's got hope, so we have to keep it as well."

The family plans to keep in touch with officials they met in Thailand but have no plans to return at this point.

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