Alison Raspa, 25, has been missing from the Canadian ski resort of Whistler since November 22.
Alison Raspa, 25, has been missing from the Canadian ski resort of Whistler since November 22.
Disturbing rumours about the fate of a missing Australian backpacker are sweeping the Canadian ski resort of Whistler, where the young woman vanished 12 days ago.
Alison Leanne Raspa, 25, was last seen leaving the Three Below Restaurant and Lounge in Whistler Village at 11.30pm on Wednesday, November 22.
The next day, police found some of her personal belongings, understood to include a mobile phone, 5km away at Alpha Lake Park at Creekside Village. News.com.au understands Raspa's backpack was also located.
Raspa has been at Whistler in British Columbia since May and had recently extended her work visa. Photo / Getty
Rescue workers and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) divers equipped with sonar technology searched the lake and surrounding areas but failed to find any further trace of her.
Raspa's devastated mother and brother flew into the world-famous resort last week to join locals in a massive search effort over the weekend.
They have so far refused all media requests but an insider receiving regular updates from Raspa's mother told news.com.au the family had been told she was "upset" about "something that happened at work" before she went missing.
Friends and family fear the worst for Alison Raspa, 25, who was last seen leaving the Three Below bar on November 22.
"Police are looking through the camera footage where Alison works so they can observe her on a day-to-day basis in the days before she disappeared," the insider said.
"Alison's mother has been told that she was upset about something to do with work so police are looking for clues on the (CCTV) tapes."
The source also claimed the family had heard that something had occurred outside the Three Below bar and lounge on the night she vanished.
However, a Three Below employee told news.com.au that he was "100 per cent sure there was no altercation outside the bar that night".
"I know because I was here that night and I have told police everything that happened that night and handed over all the security camera footage," he said.
"There are so many rumours and stories floating around about what happened to Alison right now so it's pretty weird.
"It's a small place. I mean only about 20,000 people live here at Whistler."
Raspa's co-workers at the Westin Resort and Spa in Whistler called police on November 23 after she failed to turn up to her shift.
The family insider told news.com.au that Raspa moved to Whistler in May and had recently extended her working visa for another six months.
They had believed Raspa would be safe travelling on her own thanks to her expertise in Kung Fu.
"We are sick with worry," the insider said.
"Alison had a black belt. How can someone with a black belt just disappear like that?"
Police are looking through camera footage for clues to Raspa's disappearance.
A number of Raspa's friends in Australia have launched Facebook campaigns to find her and their appeals for information have become increasingly desperate as each day passes with no news.
"Nobody knows anything, which is really sad," Raspa's Westin hotel colleague and friend Raiko Kiudmaa told CTV News.
Kiudmaa was one of a handful of friends to have "liked" the final photographs posted on Raspa's Facebook page.
"Alison is a very, very nice girl," he told the station. "A little bit quiet or shy, but if you talk with her she's very open-minded."
Raspa's former roommate Katie, who asked for her name to be withheld, organised a walk from Whistler's gondolas near the Three Below bar to Alpha Lake Park where her phone and backpack were found.
"I posted it (on Facebook) the day after she was reported missing. There's obviously a community here and people might know something," Katie said.
Whistler RCMP Staff Sergeant Paul Hayes said police search efforts would continue to focus on Alpha Lake Park, its shoreline and the surrounding areas.
"Some of the things that we have found have led us to the Alpha Lake area and we are trying our best at this point to put that timeline together to see if we can go anywhere else," he said.
"We are bringing in divers again, we are bringing in helicopters when the weather will allow, we are doing ground searches with friends and with search and rescue.
"We are hoping the public can advise us of anything that they have seen."
Police are also continuing analysing Raspa's mobile phone for clues.
Sgt Hayes said there was no indication of foul play, but added that police "have not ruled out any option in terms of what has happened or where Raspa could be."
Raspa was last seen wearing a black sweater, a white and black striped shirt, and black pants.
"We are trying to do anything we can and anything we can think of to track down the events and where she went between the time she left the bar," Sgt Hayes said.
