<□>Despite the mountin□ evidence and □□eories, th□ search for□the m□□sing nine co□tin□ed without□an□ c□nc□et□ leads. The island remained□a □leak and□desolat□ place, echoi□□ with th□□□nanswer□d questions an□□haun□ing □emo□□e□ of □he group's s□dden disappearan□e□ □s days tur□e□ □□t□ weeks□ hope for the□r saf□□retur□ started t□ dwindle□ leav□ng beh□nd □□shroud of uncertainty an□ sadness.