Police plan to continue searching for a Saco man missing since New Year’s Day in an effort to bring his family some closure.

James Dyer, 23, was last seen on Fore Street at 1:45 a.m. Jan. 1 after a night in the Old Port in Portland. He became separated from his three friends as they were walking toward their car parked on Union Wharf.

Police from Portland, South Portland and the Maine State Police searched Portland Harbor last week and on Monday without success. While there is no evidence Dyer went into the water, police said they believe he was headed toward the waterfront. There is no indication anything else happened and people have fallen into the water in the past, police said.

Dogs trained to signal for scents underwater were used on boats and did indicate interest in a particular area of the waterfront. However, Lt. James Sweatt, head of detectives for the Portland police, said scents can drift on currents and nothing was found.

In addition to using sonar to look for underwater objects, searchers also towed divers in a boat. That allows them to cover a larger area and improves the accuracy of a grid search because a boat on the surface can orient itself more easily than a diver underwater, he said.

Friends are holding a benefit and raising money to help the family, whose members have not been able to work during the search, according to a gofundme.com page that has raised more than $4,000. Duffy’s Tavern & Grill in Old Orchard Beach, where Dyer grew up, is hosting the benefit Jan. 22 from 6 to 11 p.m.

 

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