Former East Hartford Police Officer Disappears In Bahamas; Search Suspended: Authorities

EAST HARTFORD, CT — A former East Hartford officer disappeared while diving in the Bahamas, according to reports.

Ryan Proulx was last seen free diving Friday near Bimini Barge Wreck, 1.5 miles west of Bimini Inlet, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The agency was assisting Bahamian authorities, but officials decided to suspend the search for Proulx after aircraft crews covered more than 673 square miles, according to the Coast Guard, which noted Proulx was wearing a green top and red fins when he disappeared.

“We offer our deepest condolences to the Proulx family,” Lt. Cmdr. Matt Spado, Coast Guard liaison officer, said in a prepared statement. “The decision to suspend the active search efforts pending further development is one we never take likely.”

Proulx, 31, served on the East Hartford police force from 2017 to 2021, WFSB reported, noting he more recently split his time between running a charter company out of Rhode Island and training law enforcement dogs in Connecticut.

A GoFundMe has been created to collect donations to bring volunteer divers to the Bahamas to look for Proulx.