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The Guardia Civil has been scouring a rural area of Mazarrón by land and air in an ongoing search for two Ecuadorian men who vanished without trace in April.

 

Using helicopters and drones, officers have focused their efforts around ground wells scattered across the landscape, believed to be central to the investigation.

 

The missing men — José Patricio Chango Heredia, 43, and Edwin Guillermo Cambal Chicaiza, 32 — were last seen after finishing work on a Tuesday April 15. They lived together on Sector D of the Camposol urbanisation and were both employed by the same company, Megarsa. Police sources confirmed that both had families in Ecuador and shared a close friendship.

 

According to relatives, the two had recently collected wages owed to them and were likely carrying a significant amount of cash when they disappeared. Investigators are therefore not ruling out robbery as a potential motive. Friends and family insist the pair would never have disappeared voluntarily, suggesting instead that they may have been abducted.

 

In a troubling development, one of the men’s cars – José’s blue Citroen C5 – was spotted at a petrol station in the days following their disappearance, but it was being driven by unidentified individuals. The Guardia Civil are working to identify those occupants and determine their connection to the case.

 

The disappearance has drawn comparisons with a previous case in Librilla, where two friends — Jean Mirabeau Ngoho and Siaka Coulibaly — were found murdered and hidden at the bottom of a well. Like the current case, they too both vanished on the same day. After months of searching, their bodies were discovered buried in soil and caustic soda. Two suspects remain in pre-trial detention over that crime.

 

Fabián Chango, cousin of José Patricio, told investigators that the missing Citroen was eventually located in Murcia.

 

Speaking to the press, he said, “We don’t know anything, we don’t have any theories,” but believes the men would have made contact “if they could”. He fears they may be being held against their will.

 

José Patricio was described by the SOS Desaparecidos missing persons association as being 1.80 metres (6 feet) tall, while the shorter Edwin Guillermo was distinguished by his “various tattoos”.

 

Anyone who has information that could lead to the location of either of the two men is encouraged to call 0034 649 952 957 or 0034 644 712 806, or email info@sosdesaparecidos.es.

 

 

Image: SOS Desaparecidos