Petros Krommidas search continues as 100 volunteers, emergency officials comb Atlantic Beach

Joanna Cuenta walked toward the shoreline of Atlantic Beach Saturday afternoon, her eyes raised to the lapping waves and shifting currents of the ocean.

Cuenta, of East Rockaway, was one of about 100 volunteers and emergency officials who fanned out over a nine-mile stretch of coastline Saturday to search for Petros Krommidas, a Democratic candidate for the Nassau County Legislature who has been missing for more than a week.

"What’s important is to find him," Cuenta said as she combed the edge of the water alongside a group of other volunteers. She and the others, she said, are "just keeping our eyes open."

Krommidas, 29, was last seen April 23 around 9 p.m. at the home he shares with his parents in Baldwin, Newsday has reported. He was reported missing the next day.

Police have said that Krommidas' vehicle was found parked near the Long Beach boardwalk and his clothing was found on the beach. Foul play was not suspected, police have said.

Krommidas is described by officials as 6-foot-2 and weighing 230 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.

On Saturday, members of several Nassau County agencies, including the Office of Emergency Management, the Community Emergency Response Team and the Nassau County Police Department, were joined by a range of local first responders to conduct the search.

ATVs, helicopters and drones were deployed to scan the shoreline. At a briefing, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said searchers were operating on "two parallel tracks."

"One track is that Petey’s still alive," Blakeman said. "In the event that there was a tragedy, of course, the family would like to recover the body and have a proper funeral."

'Tragic' disappearance

Members of the Mineola Fire Department joined in the search Saturday, sending drones into the air. Carl Nunziata, a 41-year veteran of the department, said the drone team battled the elements and had to be wary of other aircraft as they swept the shoreline for clues.

Detectives handed out flyers and broke volunteers into different groups, with some assigned to the beach and others to the boardwalks and surrounding community in an effort to make connections with people who frequent the area.

Leah Russo, 49, of Bethpage, said she is friends with the Krommidas family and has been part of other recent search efforts. Speaking of the week since Krommidas went missing, she said, "It’s been nine days of heartbreak."

Russo said the Columbia University graduate is a "very bright" and "family-oriented" man who loves to run, swim and work out. 

"It really is tragic," Russo said.

Ellen Lederer DeFrancesco, who met Krommidas when she was running for the State Assembly, said she considers him like "a little brother" who is "the nicest person you’re ever going to meet."

"We should all be out looking," she said.

Police said investigators are asking anyone with information regarding Krommidas' whereabouts to call 911 or 516-573-7347.

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ