29-year-old man missing after night out in Amsterdam; Family concerned
The police, friends, and family are urgently looking for 29-year-old Sam van Grondelle, who disappeared in Amsterdam early on Sunday morning. He was last seen at about 3:30 a.m. getting on his bicycle at Amsterdam Central Station along the IJ side, saying at he was going to cycle about five kilometers to his home near Amstel Station.
He was out with three other friends in the nightclub Skatecafé in Amsterdam-Noord. "He has never disappeared before, that's the first time this happened. If he had gone somewhere he would have told us," said Frans, a friend who used social media to appeal to the public for information.
"He just had a couple of drinks, but nothing crazy," he told NL Times. He also said that it was not like Van Grondelle to skip a workday without contacting anyone, like he did on Monday. If he had gone home with someone, he would have let someone know, Frans also told the Telegraaf. Besides that, Van Grondelle's route home is a busy one. “If you are robbed or something and you scream, people will hear that.”
Dozens of people searched for Van Grondelle throughout Sunday afternoon after he did not respond to calls and messages, and did not return home, Van Grondelle's friend, Rutger, told NL Times. Along with police, they have searched the coastline and area from Central Station to the Muziekgebouw, and around Java-eiland, KNSM-eiland, and the Oosterdok.
Aside from that, they have covered the length of the Amstel River headed towards Van Grondelle's home, the Oosterpark and the Frankendael Park, and many of the side streets in-between. Their search efforts were expected to continue over the course of Monday, and police have also stepped up efforts to find the man.
Concerned friends posted a photo of Sam on social media, pleading for any information about his whereabouts. Even though the post was shared across various platforms, few tips have come in. "We did not really get anything, we're still in the dark at the moment," said Van Grondelle's friend.
Van Grondelle is approximately 1.87 meters tall and has blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue sweater with a beige body warmer. He was riding a dark green Gazelle bike with a red Abus chain lock. There was a sticker from clothing brand and refugee foundation Klabu on the bike's rear fender.
“We are afraid that something happened to the guy,” a police spokesperson told RTL Nieuws. “We are not assuming foul play.”
Anyone who thinks they have seen Van Grondelle, or who has information about his whereabouts, should call the police.
