Sudden Disappearance Of Ontario Scientist Mystifies Colleagues
Posted February 21, 2010 6:01 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
There are still no leads in the case of an eastern Ontario scientist who disappeared without a trace last month, leaving his colleagues mystified.
Lachlan Cranswick hasn’t been seen since Jan. 18, when he left work at the National Research Council’s Canadian Neutron Beam Centre in Chalk River, northwest of Ottawa.
His nearby Deep River house was reportedly left unlocked and his car was in the garage. His wallet, keys and passport have all been accounted for.
Media reports indicate police have exhausted all avenues, but still cannot piece together the whereabouts of the 41-year-old physicist.
“It is pretty much a mystery,” colleague Daniel Banks said in an interview.
“Nobody noticed anything was wrong… He didn’t seem to be depressed or anything like that.”
Banks affectionately described Cranswick as a safety conscious “nerd” who didn’t go anywhere without his cell phone and GPS.
“If his friends were over, he would make them take a breathalyzer before leaving the house,” he added.
“He was very conscientious that way. It just seems odd that he would have taken any unnecessary risks.”
The Australian native had been working at the NRC facility for seven years after leaving a job in England.
Banks said Cranswick lived alone in nearby Deep River.
His job involved collaborating with visiting scientists from across Canada and around the world who would come to the lab to use its specialized equipment.
His older brother Rupert recently visited from Australia to take care of Cranswick’s personal affairs including his home, Banks said.
“People describe him as being a typically quiet person except when it comes to talking about work and particular interests,” Banks said.
One of those interests was curling, Banks said, adding Cranswick was on the local club’s executive.
In fact, the scientist had taken some vacation days and was only reported missing when he failed to show up for a tournament.
Banks said several colleagues helped police search for clues.
“As far as I know, all the most likely things have been looked at,” he said.
