Land and Sea Search on Cape Cod for Missing Rhode Island Woman:

EASTHAM, MA -- The search for a missing Rhode Island woman who grew up on Cape Cod is continuing today with police, park rangers and the Coast Guard back at Nauset Light Beach and surrounding area.

Rachel Collins, 37, of West Warwick, was first reported missing by her roommate shortly at 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Her car had been found earlier at Nauset Light Beach by Eastham police.

At a press conference today Eastham Police Chief Edward Kulhawik said Collins' purse and cellphone were both found inside the car, which has since been towed to a secure area. The cellphone was switched off, he said.

Why Collins went to the beach is still an unanswered question. However, police say she was very familiar with the area. She grew up here and her father and stepmother have a home not far form the beach, according to police.

"She was distraught. I'll leave it at that," said Craig Thatcher, National Park Service Chief Ranger during today's press conference.

Collins attended Nauset Middle School and Nauset Regional High School, graduating in 1992, police said. According to Collins' Facebook page, she graduated from the nursing program at Cape Cod Community College in 2009 and is employed as a psychiatric nurse at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, R.I.

Police said Collins was in touch with her mother in New Mexico and her stepmother on the Cape prior to going missing.

Today police began expanding their search.

An extensive search took place on Sunday with Eastham police, state police K-9 and National Park Rangers combing the grounds and nearby beaches.

A state police helicopter searched the area with infrared radar Sunday night. The U.S. Coast Guard sent a vessel with side-scanning sonar and a state police dive team aboard to search the nearby waters.

Collins is described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall with short brown hair and brown eyes. She is described as being of thin build.

Anyone with information or who may have seen Collins is asked to contact the Eastham Police at 508-255-0551

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