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Search for Natalee Holloway Continues

Aired June 14, 2005 - 14:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: "Now in the News," word of activity on a beach in Aruba. CNN's John Zarrella just told us -- if you're watching, you saw it -- appears to be a search of some sort near the Marriott Hotel there. Three young men say they dropped off Natalee Holloway near a Marriott more than two weeks ago. The Alabama teenager has been missing ever since.
A helicopter down in the East River off of lower Manhattan. It happened just about an hour ago. Everyone on board was pulled from the water. They're all said to be fine. The pilot made a hard landing into the river as the helicopter was taking off. We'll keep you updated on that one.

Pitching his policies. President Bush just finished speaking at Penn State university. Live pictures of the scene there, as he does the meet and greet thing. He's talking about Social Security. Tomorrow, he touts his energy plan. Later this week, healthcare on the agenda.

As we mentioned a moment ago, an area has been cordoned off near a hotel in Aruba. CNN's Karl Penhaul is on the scene right now, as investigators on that nation -- island nation continue their search for Natalee Holloway. Live videophone pictures now of the search.

Karl, what are you seeing?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, we're just now being pushed around by Aruban police as they extend the search cordon. They're driving away press and sightseers from the area, pushing press out of the way. The search area has been extended. Initially, about half an hour ago, police set up red and white barriers about 200 yards along the main highway that leads close to the beachfront. There is also, between the highway and the beachfront, a mangrove swamp and also some drainage lines and some culverts there.

It must be said that initially, the three boys that are arrested now, when they were arrested, told police that dropped Natalee Holloway off at the Holiday Inn, which is about a mile or a mile and a half from where we are now. But then we understand from sources close to the investigation that there were cracks in the men's stories. Discrepancies appeared.

And one of the other suspects, who was released last night, told us he had shared a police cell with one of the three young boys and he had spoken about the fact that they've let off one of the boys, along with Natalee Holloway, near the Marriott. So it could be that kind of evidence now that is leading police to search this area of mangrove swamp and beachfront close to the Marriott Hotel -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Karl, we're looking at grainy videophone pictures. Just confirm that my eyes aren't playing tricks on me, that what we're seeing there is a dive boat out there, with divers going in the water. Is that correct?

PENHAUL: From my perspective, I can't see that here. But there is -- because this is beachfront, there is kite, surf and sailing center, as well as a wind surf center, very close to here. I have not, in the last ten minute seen any signs of divers or diveboats the water. And from my perspective from behind the mangrove swamp. I can no longer see that.

My initial assessment was that the search was being concentrated on the land area, on the area between the main highway and the beachfront. That's the distance of about 150 yards that separates the highway from the beachfront and in between there's a swampy or semi- swampy mangrove area, thick underbrush and also some drainage culverts -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Karl, I'm going to allow the opportunity to get a little closer, hopefully get in better position so you can see this. But before you get away, have you seen much evidence of FBI agents on the scene, involved in this investigation?

PENHAUL: We haven't seen them necessarily day by day. They're keeping a low profile because they are here in a support role. That said, we do understand that they are involved in critical parts of the investigation. And the fact that we haven't seen them here on the ground certainly doesn't mean that they're not here.

It would seem likely -- and we did hear reports earlier on of a group of FBI agents leaving the main police station in what one witness said was a hurry. So one may assume they're certainly aware of this and possibly even on the scene themselves. But as I say, the search area has been extended and it seems to be rather large area now -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Karl Penhaul. We'll allow you to get into a little better position on the scene there, as you look at those pictures from our videophone. This is Palm Beach, Aruba. These are pictures off the shore of the Marriott Hotel, about a mile and a half from where Natalee Holloway was last seen. And what appears to be going on there, that appears to be some sort of dive boat. I saw somebody go in the water just a little while ago.

Karl, of course, confirming that there's an extensive search under way on the beach side. They've cordoned off a rather large area. And this investigation appears to be taking a bit of a turn, perhaps based on some information gleaned from the three that are currently still held and being questioned on this whole matter.

Let's talk further about this issue of the FBI -- because we've talked about it a lot in the wake of all of this -- With a U.S. citizen missing off the shores of the United States, retired FBI agent, special agent in charge, as a matter of fact, Don Clark, joining us from Houston.

Don, good to have you with us. First of all, does that look like a -- were you able to see? Does that appear that there's diver off the shore there? It seems like a likely scenario.

DON CLARK, FMR. FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Well, it could very well be. I mean, you've got to have divers there, Miles. And as you said, we've talked before and we've talked about the FBI sending people, like parts of their hostage rescue teams, over there, who have diving capability and these types of skills. And so they've got to look in the prudent places and perhaps where they've gotten a bit of information that would lead them to that point.

O'BRIEN: All right, well, I guess, question that was on my mind is, why is it two weeks later they're just now deciding to go after this spot? You care to weigh in on that? Why -- it seems like a long time to begin what seems to be one of the first things you'd do in any investigation, start searching the beaches, the waters, off of where this person might have been.

CLARK: Well, you know, Miles, you make a good point. But you've got to keep in mind here that when you're doing an investigation like this, you've kind of got to go where the evidence tends to lead you. You only have a finite amount of resources that you've got to deal with and you just can't go digging in the sand in any place. And I suspect that the reason that you might see them, in what I've heard today...

CLARK: ...you've kind of got to go where the evidence tends to lead you. You only have a finite amount of resources that you've got to deal with and you just can't go digging in the sand in any space, and I suspect that the reason that you might see them and what I've heard today about this area, and seems to be a relatively small area cordoned off, is that there may have been some information developed that at least pointed them in that direction. Miles, one thing you have to do, you get so many little leads in these cases, that you've got to prioritize them to try to make the best use of your resources that you can.

O'BRIEN: All right, that's probably the way the folks in Aruba would explain it. What we've been hearing from the family of Natalee Holloway is growing frustration over the past couple of weeks. This morning on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," Betty Holloway Twitty, mother of Natalee Holloway, spoke with very careful precision about her feelings about the investigation by Aruban authorities. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETTY HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S MOTHER: This moment, right now, I feel like -- that we are working in a collaborative effort, and I feel like now I can say that, from the family to the FBI to the local authorities to the Arubian (SIC) government to the United States government, I feel like we are now all in this investigation, and I do feel like we are beginning to proceed forward. (END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Bring back CNN's John Zarrella, who's also in Palm Beach.

John, Betty Holloway Twitty chose her words extremely carefully this morning. I think what's going on is she's still very frustrated, but is very reluctant, and probably wisely so, to alienate the Aruban authority. Give us the back story on this.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the back story on this is that there's an interesting dynamic here, from the standpoint that Natalee's mother has been -- has come out fairly publicly and said that she had thought that the two security guards, she believed they should be released, that they were not involved. And she has said, on more than one occasion, that she really believes that these three young men, the two Surinamese youths and the one Dutch boy, the three that were last seen with Natalee, she has said publicly, she believes they know what happened to her daughter.

So, she has been very clear in pointing out that she believed that the security guards should be released and that the focus should have always been, or should be, on these three youths, and, in fact, now, it is pretty clear from the developments within the last hour or so here, and developments leading up to that, that, in fact, the focus of the investigation has been -- is now, the three young men that police have in custody who were last seen with Natalee Holloway leaving Carlos 'N Charlie's, a local watering hole here, and had said that they went to the bar -- went to the beach with her and then brought her back and that's when the stories began to change. There was a story that at first they dropped her off at the Holiday Inn and then the story changed from sources that we've been told, who said, well, no, they dropped her off near the Holiday Inn.

And then the two Surinamese boys, one of them, who was in a cell just two cells down from one of the security guard, told the security guard that, in fact, he and his brother dropped her off with the Dutch boy, just a short way up from the -- just within a couple hundred yards of the Marriott Hotel and in fact, that's where the search is going.

And, in fact, now we can give you some sound with the security guard -- what he told us here this morning on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICKEY JOHN, SECURITY GUARD: He said that he picked the girl up at Carlos 'N Charlie's. They drove to the light house. He was driving. They park. His brother was sitting in the front. The missing girl was sitting in the back seat, behind the passenger -- the driver, and the Dutch guy was sitting in the back seat, behind his brother. They drove to the light house. He didn't explain to me what took place at the light house, and on the way back up from the light house, they dropped the Dutch guy and Natalee close to the Marriott Hotel. He say he showed the police where he dropped them off.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: So everything seems to be coalescing around this belief that one way or another, Natalee Holloway may well have been dropped off near the Marriott Hotel or left at the Marriott, near there, and that's the focus clearly now of this search that's taking place, along the beach, in the brush, near the mangroves. And, you know, quite clearly, although the areas were probably searched in the very early days, likely searched in those very early days after her disappearance, you know, now they may well have some specific information. What information about what they might find there is unclear, but clearly, the police have some specific information and they're looking at a very, very specific area. Miles.

O'BRIEN: Well, John, we're looking at these pictures, and Karl was -- Karl Penhaul, your colleague down there, was not in a position to figure it out himself, but based on what we're seeing here, it appears there's a dive boat in operation there. I guess what we need to do is get Karl Penhaul a windsurfer, because they're obviously right out there beside the dive boat. But, nevertheless, is it your understanding that they are in fact diving in these waters right now?

ZARRELLA: No, I mean, our understanding was that there was a -- that there apparently was one boat out there. Now, again, Karl and the other journalists that are in that area are being kept very far away now by police, so the best vantage point that we have -- and I can't see that picture either -- you've got the best vantage point -- is that live video phone picture that we're getting from the Marriott Hotel, down to the scene. And -- but our understanding from producer Kim Seigel (ph), who is also on the scene, was that there was one boat in that very close vicinity.

Now, we are also told by law enforcement sources in the United States that, you know, they originally had two FBI divers down here, but because there was no specific area designated for them to dive, that those FBI divers, the law enforcement sources told us, had gone home. Whether they're back, whether they may be called back now or who may be diving at that scene now is totally unclear. And again, you've got the best vantage point of all, sitting there looking at those pictures. Miles?

O'BRIEN: John, we've got a statement here from a Holloway family spokesman in Alabama who has told us here that they are cautiously waiting because they've been down this road before, and they're referring to last Friday night. There was word of a break in the case, and just take us back to that and connect that to this moment, and perhaps how this one might be different.

ZARRELLA: Well, you know, there's so many different -- a lot of it's semantics down here. What had come out was -- and very frenzied -- was that there's a break in the case, that there's been a confession. Then it changed, well, there's sort of a confession. But there never, in the end, really was a confession, and the confession supposedly had come from one of these three youths. But, again, that never in the end was the truth.

So, hopes had gotten -- were raised by the family that something was developing that there was some sort of information that was coming out that would lead them to find out what had happened to their daughter, and then that fell apart. So, now the reason, again, here they are, in a similar situation -- back in the situation where something may be developing and there may be some answers, but, again, as they said, they've been down that road before. They don't want to get their hopes up.

But, again, you go back to the point, miles, that the Holloway family and Natalee's mother, has been very clear in her belief that the three young men that police had in custody now know what happened to her daughter. And, you know, we may well finally be getting to some sort of a resolution here. But, again, can't go down that road yet, until we hear from police what, if anything, they find at that scene that they are searching. Miles?

O'BRIEN: CNN's John Zarrella. We are going to continue our coverage of this apparently important development in the search for Natalee Holloway. Been now two weeks since she disappeared. You're looking at live pictures via videophone of the west coast of Aruba, a dive boat out there clearly engaged in a search, perhaps based on some information by the three now held in custody under suspicion in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. We'll be back with more coverage of this in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Where in the world is Natalee Holloway? Live pictures now, videophone pictures. We apologize for their quality. But they are pictures you're only seeing here on CNN, as the search continues at a hotel not far from where Natalee Holloway was last seen, the Holiday Inn, the immediate hotel next down the beach on the western coast of Aruba, Palm Beach. You're looking at a couple official vehicles there.

There's been a fairly tight cordon on the surface. What we've seen earlier, if we can maybe roll some of the tape, is pictures of a dive boat clearly operating in the scene. Divers searching underwater, obviously, as divers would do and hopefully trying to find some clues as to the whereabouts of Natalee Holloway. This, perhaps, based on some information gleaned by authorities as they've investigated three young men being held in connection -- suspicion of connection, in her disappearance.

We brought in FBI agent Don Clark a little while ago. Let's reintroduce him for you. He's a former special agent in charge. And we've just been talking about how investigations like this proceed or don't proceed and how difficult it can be for a U.S. family to lose someone like this and perhaps deal with the frustration of dealing with local authorities.

And I think we heard that -- I know you had a chance to hear Betty Holloway Twitty just a little while ago, Don, choosing her words very carefully, but clearly frustrated at the way this investigation has gone. And really very much in the middle of the investigation. That's kind of -- that can be a dangerous place to be. CLARK: Well, you know, Miles, I've seen even in my time, in charge of cases like this, is that you've got to bring the family in and they have to be a part of this. And, clearly, this family has chosen to be a very integral part of it. Because I think that helps to really dismiss a lot of myths about what's going on, a lot of guess and speculation and a lot of criticism. And she sounded extremely sincere in her comments about this.

And I have to tell you, Miles, I've been in contact with a very close friend of the families, who've called me and talked to me about this situation. And they were very happy that the FBI were joining this investigation. So I sense that they are being kept in the loop, if you will, and that's a good place to be for the law enforcement, is not having the family pulling in the opposite direction.

O'BRIEN: And I suppose a natural inclination for a family from the United States would be to sort of hope that the FBI would take over, if you will. That's not how it works, is it?

CLARK: No, no. That is not how it works. And you're absolutely right, because I've had that question posed to me, will they go in and take over? And the answer to that is absolutely not. That's the worst thing that could happen. What you really have, Miles -- and we've talked about it - you've got guests and you've got hosts. And right now, the Arubians in this are the hosts and the FBI, or whatever outside agencies come in, happen to be guests.

But if they've worked together in the past -- we have facilities here in this country where foreign police officers come over and train with the FBI. So they're not exactly foreign to each other. And I don't know for sure, but I would suspect that even Arubians may have had someone come over and train with the FBI. So they have an idea of what to expect when they get involved in these investigations.

O'BRIEN: Well, it's -- wherever the FBI goes, it runs into jurisdictional issues, just by the nature of its jurisdiction. This happens all the time with localities all across the United States. But it's got to be compounded by the fact that you're in another different country. Are there specific rules of engagement, so to speak, or do they just go down there and say, look, here's what we can offer, we're here, they just stand by and wait for calls for assistance?

CLARK: No, no, that's not the way -- you alluded to it at first. There's specific rules and regulations and criminal procedures that they must follow. Even going state to state, you still got to abide by different things that happen in different states. But certainly in a foreign country.

And I think the idea is, is that when you get in those room with foreign officials, you start to lay out on the table what you possibly could bring to the table and could enhance this investigation, and then let the host government pick and choose what they think will be best. And if you have a very close relationship, you'll end up being consultants with them and walking step by step with them, Miles. And that's the way -- the road that's going to lead you to a solution. O'BRIEN: I suppose a temptation might be for a family in this predicament, perhaps with not a lot of faith in the local authority, to go out and hire their own investigators. Bad idea?

CLARK: Well, it can be a bad idea. And I would say that it really -- in the early stages of it, to do that, would be very premature, because you've got to give the authorities an opportunity to gather the evidence and get moving. Now, at some stage later on in the investigation, as things start to diminish and leads start to dissipate and you don't seem to see -- it may be that you can hire private people to get information.

But, Miles, one thing we have to bear in mind is that law enforcement have rules of procedures and rules of discovery for evidence and so forth that they have to follow. And if private people are involved and you want a solution to this, then they have to be very careful to what law enforcement needs to advance this case for its prosecution.

O'BRIEN: Boy, it's a tight rope none of us want to walk, an emotional tight rope. And we feel for the family throughout all of this. Don Clark, thanks for your time, as always. Appreciate it.

CLARK: Pleasure, Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. We're going to continue our coverage of this and other things after a quick break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired June 14, 2005 - 14:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: "Now in the News," word of activity on a beach in Aruba. CNN's John Zarrella just told us -- if you're watching, you saw it -- appears to be a search of some sort near the Marriott Hotel there. Three young men say they dropped off Natalee Holloway near a Marriott more than two weeks ago. The Alabama teenager has been missing ever since.
A helicopter down in the East River off of lower Manhattan. It happened just about an hour ago. Everyone on board was pulled from the water. They're all said to be fine. The pilot made a hard landing into the river as the helicopter was taking off. We'll keep you updated on that one.

Pitching his policies. President Bush just finished speaking at Penn State university. Live pictures of the scene there, as he does the meet and greet thing. He's talking about Social Security. Tomorrow, he touts his energy plan. Later this week, healthcare on the agenda.

As we mentioned a moment ago, an area has been cordoned off near a hotel in Aruba. CNN's Karl Penhaul is on the scene right now, as investigators on that nation -- island nation continue their search for Natalee Holloway. Live videophone pictures now of the search.

Karl, what are you seeing?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, we're just now being pushed around by Aruban police as they extend the search cordon. They're driving away press and sightseers from the area, pushing press out of the way. The search area has been extended. Initially, about half an hour ago, police set up red and white barriers about 200 yards along the main highway that leads close to the beachfront. There is also, between the highway and the beachfront, a mangrove swamp and also some drainage lines and some culverts there.

It must be said that initially, the three boys that are arrested now, when they were arrested, told police that dropped Natalee Holloway off at the Holiday Inn, which is about a mile or a mile and a half from where we are now. But then we understand from sources close to the investigation that there were cracks in the men's stories. Discrepancies appeared.

And one of the other suspects, who was released last night, told us he had shared a police cell with one of the three young boys and he had spoken about the fact that they've let off one of the boys, along with Natalee Holloway, near the Marriott. So it could be that kind of evidence now that is leading police to search this area of mangrove swamp and beachfront close to the Marriott Hotel -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Karl, we're looking at grainy videophone pictures. Just confirm that my eyes aren't playing tricks on me, that what we're seeing there is a dive boat out there, with divers going in the water. Is that correct?

PENHAUL: From my perspective, I can't see that here. But there is -- because this is beachfront, there is kite, surf and sailing center, as well as a wind surf center, very close to here. I have not, in the last ten minute seen any signs of divers or diveboats the water. And from my perspective from behind the mangrove swamp. I can no longer see that.

My initial assessment was that the search was being concentrated on the land area, on the area between the main highway and the beachfront. That's the distance of about 150 yards that separates the highway from the beachfront and in between there's a swampy or semi- swampy mangrove area, thick underbrush and also some drainage culverts -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Karl, I'm going to allow the opportunity to get a little closer, hopefully get in better position so you can see this. But before you get away, have you seen much evidence of FBI agents on the scene, involved in this investigation?

PENHAUL: We haven't seen them necessarily day by day. They're keeping a low profile because they are here in a support role. That said, we do understand that they are involved in critical parts of the investigation. And the fact that we haven't seen them here on the ground certainly doesn't mean that they're not here.

It would seem likely -- and we did hear reports earlier on of a group of FBI agents leaving the main police station in what one witness said was a hurry. So one may assume they're certainly aware of this and possibly even on the scene themselves. But as I say, the search area has been extended and it seems to be rather large area now -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Karl Penhaul. We'll allow you to get into a little better position on the scene there, as you look at those pictures from our videophone. This is Palm Beach, Aruba. These are pictures off the shore of the Marriott Hotel, about a mile and a half from where Natalee Holloway was last seen. And what appears to be going on there, that appears to be some sort of dive boat. I saw somebody go in the water just a little while ago.

Karl, of course, confirming that there's an extensive search under way on the beach side. They've cordoned off a rather large area. And this investigation appears to be taking a bit of a turn, perhaps based on some information gleaned from the three that are currently still held and being questioned on this whole matter.

Let's talk further about this issue of the FBI -- because we've talked about it a lot in the wake of all of this -- With a U.S. citizen missing off the shores of the United States, retired FBI agent, special agent in charge, as a matter of fact, Don Clark, joining us from Houston.

Don, good to have you with us. First of all, does that look like a -- were you able to see? Does that appear that there's diver off the shore there? It seems like a likely scenario.

DON CLARK, FMR. FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Well, it could very well be. I mean, you've got to have divers there, Miles. And as you said, we've talked before and we've talked about the FBI sending people, like parts of their hostage rescue teams, over there, who have diving capability and these types of skills. And so they've got to look in the prudent places and perhaps where they've gotten a bit of information that would lead them to that point.

O'BRIEN: All right, well, I guess, question that was on my mind is, why is it two weeks later they're just now deciding to go after this spot? You care to weigh in on that? Why -- it seems like a long time to begin what seems to be one of the first things you'd do in any investigation, start searching the beaches, the waters, off of where this person might have been.

CLARK: Well, you know, Miles, you make a good point. But you've got to keep in mind here that when you're doing an investigation like this, you've kind of got to go where the evidence tends to lead you. You only have a finite amount of resources that you've got to deal with and you just can't go digging in the sand in any place. And I suspect that the reason that you might see them, in what I've heard today...

CLARK: ...you've kind of got to go where the evidence tends to lead you. You only have a finite amount of resources that you've got to deal with and you just can't go digging in the sand in any space, and I suspect that the reason that you might see them and what I've heard today about this area, and seems to be a relatively small area cordoned off, is that there may have been some information developed that at least pointed them in that direction. Miles, one thing you have to do, you get so many little leads in these cases, that you've got to prioritize them to try to make the best use of your resources that you can.

O'BRIEN: All right, that's probably the way the folks in Aruba would explain it. What we've been hearing from the family of Natalee Holloway is growing frustration over the past couple of weeks. This morning on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," Betty Holloway Twitty, mother of Natalee Holloway, spoke with very careful precision about her feelings about the investigation by Aruban authorities. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETTY HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S MOTHER: This moment, right now, I feel like -- that we are working in a collaborative effort, and I feel like now I can say that, from the family to the FBI to the local authorities to the Arubian (SIC) government to the United States government, I feel like we are now all in this investigation, and I do feel like we are beginning to proceed forward. (END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Bring back CNN's John Zarrella, who's also in Palm Beach.

John, Betty Holloway Twitty chose her words extremely carefully this morning. I think what's going on is she's still very frustrated, but is very reluctant, and probably wisely so, to alienate the Aruban authority. Give us the back story on this.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the back story on this is that there's an interesting dynamic here, from the standpoint that Natalee's mother has been -- has come out fairly publicly and said that she had thought that the two security guards, she believed they should be released, that they were not involved. And she has said, on more than one occasion, that she really believes that these three young men, the two Surinamese youths and the one Dutch boy, the three that were last seen with Natalee, she has said publicly, she believes they know what happened to her daughter.

So, she has been very clear in pointing out that she believed that the security guards should be released and that the focus should have always been, or should be, on these three youths, and, in fact, now, it is pretty clear from the developments within the last hour or so here, and developments leading up to that, that, in fact, the focus of the investigation has been -- is now, the three young men that police have in custody who were last seen with Natalee Holloway leaving Carlos 'N Charlie's, a local watering hole here, and had said that they went to the bar -- went to the beach with her and then brought her back and that's when the stories began to change. There was a story that at first they dropped her off at the Holiday Inn and then the story changed from sources that we've been told, who said, well, no, they dropped her off near the Holiday Inn.

And then the two Surinamese boys, one of them, who was in a cell just two cells down from one of the security guard, told the security guard that, in fact, he and his brother dropped her off with the Dutch boy, just a short way up from the -- just within a couple hundred yards of the Marriott Hotel and in fact, that's where the search is going.

And, in fact, now we can give you some sound with the security guard -- what he told us here this morning on CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICKEY JOHN, SECURITY GUARD: He said that he picked the girl up at Carlos 'N Charlie's. They drove to the light house. He was driving. They park. His brother was sitting in the front. The missing girl was sitting in the back seat, behind the passenger -- the driver, and the Dutch guy was sitting in the back seat, behind his brother. They drove to the light house. He didn't explain to me what took place at the light house, and on the way back up from the light house, they dropped the Dutch guy and Natalee close to the Marriott Hotel. He say he showed the police where he dropped them off.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: So everything seems to be coalescing around this belief that one way or another, Natalee Holloway may well have been dropped off near the Marriott Hotel or left at the Marriott, near there, and that's the focus clearly now of this search that's taking place, along the beach, in the brush, near the mangroves. And, you know, quite clearly, although the areas were probably searched in the very early days, likely searched in those very early days after her disappearance, you know, now they may well have some specific information. What information about what they might find there is unclear, but clearly, the police have some specific information and they're looking at a very, very specific area. Miles.

O'BRIEN: Well, John, we're looking at these pictures, and Karl was -- Karl Penhaul, your colleague down there, was not in a position to figure it out himself, but based on what we're seeing here, it appears there's a dive boat in operation there. I guess what we need to do is get Karl Penhaul a windsurfer, because they're obviously right out there beside the dive boat. But, nevertheless, is it your understanding that they are in fact diving in these waters right now?

ZARRELLA: No, I mean, our understanding was that there was a -- that there apparently was one boat out there. Now, again, Karl and the other journalists that are in that area are being kept very far away now by police, so the best vantage point that we have -- and I can't see that picture either -- you've got the best vantage point -- is that live video phone picture that we're getting from the Marriott Hotel, down to the scene. And -- but our understanding from producer Kim Seigel (ph), who is also on the scene, was that there was one boat in that very close vicinity.

Now, we are also told by law enforcement sources in the United States that, you know, they originally had two FBI divers down here, but because there was no specific area designated for them to dive, that those FBI divers, the law enforcement sources told us, had gone home. Whether they're back, whether they may be called back now or who may be diving at that scene now is totally unclear. And again, you've got the best vantage point of all, sitting there looking at those pictures. Miles?

O'BRIEN: John, we've got a statement here from a Holloway family spokesman in Alabama who has told us here that they are cautiously waiting because they've been down this road before, and they're referring to last Friday night. There was word of a break in the case, and just take us back to that and connect that to this moment, and perhaps how this one might be different.

ZARRELLA: Well, you know, there's so many different -- a lot of it's semantics down here. What had come out was -- and very frenzied -- was that there's a break in the case, that there's been a confession. Then it changed, well, there's sort of a confession. But there never, in the end, really was a confession, and the confession supposedly had come from one of these three youths. But, again, that never in the end was the truth.

So, hopes had gotten -- were raised by the family that something was developing that there was some sort of information that was coming out that would lead them to find out what had happened to their daughter, and then that fell apart. So, now the reason, again, here they are, in a similar situation -- back in the situation where something may be developing and there may be some answers, but, again, as they said, they've been down that road before. They don't want to get their hopes up.

But, again, you go back to the point, miles, that the Holloway family and Natalee's mother, has been very clear in her belief that the three young men that police had in custody now know what happened to her daughter. And, you know, we may well finally be getting to some sort of a resolution here. But, again, can't go down that road yet, until we hear from police what, if anything, they find at that scene that they are searching. Miles?

O'BRIEN: CNN's John Zarrella. We are going to continue our coverage of this apparently important development in the search for Natalee Holloway. Been now two weeks since she disappeared. You're looking at live pictures via videophone of the west coast of Aruba, a dive boat out there clearly engaged in a search, perhaps based on some information by the three now held in custody under suspicion in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. We'll be back with more coverage of this in just a moment.

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O'BRIEN: Where in the world is Natalee Holloway? Live pictures now, videophone pictures. We apologize for their quality. But they are pictures you're only seeing here on CNN, as the search continues at a hotel not far from where Natalee Holloway was last seen, the Holiday Inn, the immediate hotel next down the beach on the western coast of Aruba, Palm Beach. You're looking at a couple official vehicles there.

There's been a fairly tight cordon on the surface. What we've seen earlier, if we can maybe roll some of the tape, is pictures of a dive boat clearly operating in the scene. Divers searching underwater, obviously, as divers would do and hopefully trying to find some clues as to the whereabouts of Natalee Holloway. This, perhaps, based on some information gleaned by authorities as they've investigated three young men being held in connection -- suspicion of connection, in her disappearance.

We brought in FBI agent Don Clark a little while ago. Let's reintroduce him for you. He's a former special agent in charge. And we've just been talking about how investigations like this proceed or don't proceed and how difficult it can be for a U.S. family to lose someone like this and perhaps deal with the frustration of dealing with local authorities.

And I think we heard that -- I know you had a chance to hear Betty Holloway Twitty just a little while ago, Don, choosing her words very carefully, but clearly frustrated at the way this investigation has gone. And really very much in the middle of the investigation. That's kind of -- that can be a dangerous place to be. CLARK: Well, you know, Miles, I've seen even in my time, in charge of cases like this, is that you've got to bring the family in and they have to be a part of this. And, clearly, this family has chosen to be a very integral part of it. Because I think that helps to really dismiss a lot of myths about what's going on, a lot of guess and speculation and a lot of criticism. And she sounded extremely sincere in her comments about this.

And I have to tell you, Miles, I've been in contact with a very close friend of the families, who've called me and talked to me about this situation. And they were very happy that the FBI were joining this investigation. So I sense that they are being kept in the loop, if you will, and that's a good place to be for the law enforcement, is not having the family pulling in the opposite direction.

O'BRIEN: And I suppose a natural inclination for a family from the United States would be to sort of hope that the FBI would take over, if you will. That's not how it works, is it?

CLARK: No, no. That is not how it works. And you're absolutely right, because I've had that question posed to me, will they go in and take over? And the answer to that is absolutely not. That's the worst thing that could happen. What you really have, Miles -- and we've talked about it - you've got guests and you've got hosts. And right now, the Arubians in this are the hosts and the FBI, or whatever outside agencies come in, happen to be guests.

But if they've worked together in the past -- we have facilities here in this country where foreign police officers come over and train with the FBI. So they're not exactly foreign to each other. And I don't know for sure, but I would suspect that even Arubians may have had someone come over and train with the FBI. So they have an idea of what to expect when they get involved in these investigations.

O'BRIEN: Well, it's -- wherever the FBI goes, it runs into jurisdictional issues, just by the nature of its jurisdiction. This happens all the time with localities all across the United States. But it's got to be compounded by the fact that you're in another different country. Are there specific rules of engagement, so to speak, or do they just go down there and say, look, here's what we can offer, we're here, they just stand by and wait for calls for assistance?

CLARK: No, no, that's not the way -- you alluded to it at first. There's specific rules and regulations and criminal procedures that they must follow. Even going state to state, you still got to abide by different things that happen in different states. But certainly in a foreign country.

And I think the idea is, is that when you get in those room with foreign officials, you start to lay out on the table what you possibly could bring to the table and could enhance this investigation, and then let the host government pick and choose what they think will be best. And if you have a very close relationship, you'll end up being consultants with them and walking step by step with them, Miles. And that's the way -- the road that's going to lead you to a solution. O'BRIEN: I suppose a temptation might be for a family in this predicament, perhaps with not a lot of faith in the local authority, to go out and hire their own investigators. Bad idea?

CLARK: Well, it can be a bad idea. And I would say that it really -- in the early stages of it, to do that, would be very premature, because you've got to give the authorities an opportunity to gather the evidence and get moving. Now, at some stage later on in the investigation, as things start to diminish and leads start to dissipate and you don't seem to see -- it may be that you can hire private people to get information.

But, Miles, one thing we have to bear in mind is that law enforcement have rules of procedures and rules of discovery for evidence and so forth that they have to follow. And if private people are involved and you want a solution to this, then they have to be very careful to what law enforcement needs to advance this case for its prosecution.

O'BRIEN: Boy, it's a tight rope none of us want to walk, an emotional tight rope. And we feel for the family throughout all of this. Don Clark, thanks for your time, as always. Appreciate it.

CLARK: Pleasure, Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. We're going to continue our coverage of this and other things after a quick break. Stay with us.

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