Thirteen years on from the disappearance of 22-year-old Adam Krzyszpin his desperate mum is pleading one last time with the people of Aberdeen to help bring back her boy.
“I beg anyone, with any information, to come forward, even after all these years,” said Elżbieta Krzyszpin.
What happened to Adam?
On Christmas day 2009, 22-year-old Adam Krzyszpin proposed to his girlfriend. Childhood sweethearts, the young couple left Poland hoping for a new start and fresh opportunities in Aberdeen. On January 10, 2010 Adam went fishing on the “red rocks” near Altens.
He was never seen again.
In the same spot 13 months earlier another Polish man, 40-year-old Pawel Piotr Pakula, also disappeared while fishing.
Neither body nor any of their belongings have ever been recovered.
Now, 13 years on Adam’s mum has issued a fresh appeal for information.
“I just want to know what happened to my boy,” said Elżbieta Krzyszpin, 54. “The circumstances around the day he went missing are still so mysterious. I beg anyone with any information to come forward, even after all these years.”
‘Something terrible has happened’
Speaking from her home in Bojanów near Rawicz, Elżbieta recalled the moment she found out Adam had disappeared.
“It was lunchtime when the phone rang. It was Natalia, Adam’s fiancée. She said he had dropped her off at work at 6am, then he drove to the rocks where he regularly went fishing with Natalia’s dad.
“The weather wasn’t great. They had asked him not to go but he could be quite stubborn and felt he was used to such weather in Aberdeen.
“When he hadn’t returned by 10am his father-in-law went looking. There was no sign of him anywhere and they feared something terrible had happened.”
Was he swept away?
Police, coastguard teams, a lifeboat crew and a rescue helicopter scoured the coastline but found no trace.
Adam’s car was found on the old coast road near Hareness Road.
Police believed and reports from the time suggested he may have been swept away, however, while his bag, wallet, stool, keys and fishing gear were all missing, a can of juice and some crisps – which weren’t Adam’s – remained.
By January 13 Elżbieta was in Aberdeen helping to scour the area for her son.
She spent two weeks in Scotland before returning home.
“I was just frantic. Why was there no sign of him? Nothing? Surely if a wave took him something would be there smashed on the rocks? But no.”
Mystery men spotted
“I remember police telling me that three European-looking people were seen on the cliffs where the incident happened, ” she added. “Another man from the Polish community in Aberdeen told police he saw people in a black Vauxhall Insignia in the same area around 7.30am.”
Despite Grampian Police appealing for information, and several leads concerning the other men seen at the fishing area, it did not bring Adam back to Elżbieta.
“Someone else reached out to me on Facebook saying they heard Adam’s name mentioned in a pub in Aberdeen – but when they asked about it they all went quiet. Why was it hushed up?” she added.
Supernatural guidance
Desperate, both then and over the years, Adam’s mother has turned to psychics.
“In the beginning, it felt like a bit of hope. ‘Oh he will be found on a Wednesday’… then it was that he was drowned and would end up in Aberdeen harbour. It became incredibly upsetting. And year on year every little bit of hope gets smaller and smaller.”
Now, more than a decade on, she longs for information to help bring peace to Adam’s family.
With the aid of a translator, we asked whether Adam could have been in trouble, or had reason to leave his partner or new city.
“No, no, no. He was happy. He had just been home and I helped him pick out an engagement ring. He worked in a factory in Portlethen and had just been promoted.
“Whatever else has happened, Adam did not mean to disappear.”
Upsetting theories
Over the years Polish publications have also covered Adam’s disappearance.
Reporter Willi Dorociński claimed on a true crime platform that a Polish police detective – speaking anonymously – believed that Adam could have been abducted “for his organs”.
“I’ve never been so upset in my life,” Elżbieta said. “How could they say such a thing? And if such a thing happens why aren’t the police in Scotland or the police in Poland giving me answers?”
On the day of Adam’s disappearance, he was last seen wearing a black and white shirt, blue jeans and a khaki green fleece jumper. He also had on a white fleece jacket with brown stripes, a dark blue body warmer and white trainers, near to the popular spot for fishing and wildlife.
One last plea for help
Visibly emotional Elżbieta adds: “I know it’s been a long time. But maybe with the passing of time – and even if they don’t give a name – someone could have a clue.
“I’m a mother who can’t even bury her son. Adam would have been an uncle, maybe even a father by now himself. I miss him all the time.
“I don’t like to say it… that he might be dead, but he’s a clever guy. I know if he was taken he could get back to me.
“Please. I beg you. If you know anything. Call Police Scotland. Give me back my boy.”
- A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed that Adam Krzyszpin is still a missing person. Members of the public can call 101 with any information.
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