Saturday, June 14, 2025
A week and half after 100 volunteers gathered outside Atlantic Beach Village Hall to search for Petros Krommidas, a Democratic candidate for the Nassau County Legislature from Baldwin, remains missing.
Krommidas has been missing since April 23 when he went for a triathlon-training swim, in Long Beach.
The May 3 search was organized by County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
“Petros’ dad reached out to Nassau County and said that he’d like to make another big push, so we did it on parallel tracks, one being if God willing he’s alive and the other was unfortunately if it tuned out to be tragic,” Blakeman said.
Leaflets were handed out to community members that asked for anyone who has information abut where he could be.
“We also did a search of the beach and the inlets, to make sure that the public knew we were still looking for Petros and also to make sure that we didn’t miss anything on the shoreline,” Blakeman added.
The search was comprised of first responders from Atlantic Beach Search and Rescue Squad, local fire departments, Fire Marshall’s office, Nassau County Police Department, Community Emergency Response Team, Office of Emergency Management, Long Beach Police Department.
Drones were also launched in an aerial search for Krommidas. They set up base at the Catalina Beach Club, in Atlantic Beach and traveled along the coast and nearby areas.
Dan Hamelburg, the Atlantic Beach Search and Rescue Squad chief, led the group and noted that the county’s OEM reached out for a drone and beach gator led the search.
“We’ve been doing that everyday since they requested us, for about a week now,” he said. “They go out for at least an hour everyday and search the beaches. We’re really just trying to bring closure to the family, we don’t know what the situation is or where he is.”
Hamelburg said he knew the search was going to be big and reached out to other as well as asking other fire departments for assistance.
“There was an overwhelming response, a lot of people came pout and helped,” he said. “I’m glad we could help, I wish we were able to find someone or something or some clue. At the end of the day it’s a disappointment but it was nice to see everyone come out and help.”
Nat Etrog, an Atlantic Beach Fire Commissioner and a village trustee, said that the mission spanned the whole weekend and that people are still going out and searching everyday.
“The circumstances are very strange, for a tri-athlete to be training at 10:30 at night in cold water is unusual but anything is possible,” Etrog said.
The search has continued throughout the past week and weekend and will continue until authorized to stop.
“When you’re apart of the search it’s almost like a military operation, with PD present, ATV’s, all of the volunteers, it was just a very large operation,” he said. “It takes on additional urgency, but I don’t think anyone is more vigilant than if it was a regular loss. When people go out on a search and rescue they’re doing everything in their power and talent to find people.”
