UPDATE: Maryland Natural Resources Police said Wednesday morning that the body of 43-year-old Allen Van Dyke was recovered by the Baltimore City Police Marine Unit Tuesday night.
The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a missing boat repair technician, last seen on Curtis Bay on the Patapsco River Saturday morning.
USCG says Allen Van Dyke was working on a 25-foot boat at the Jaws Marine boat shop. The boat was found unmanned and floating in Curtis Creek, less than a mile from the boat shop, at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, 45 minutes after he was last seen.
Maryland Natural Resources Police suspect Van Dyke was likely taking the boat out for a test ride and fell into the water.
Sunday evening, USCG announced that rescue crews had to suspend the search after canvassing a total of 53 square miles in 28 hours.
The Coast Guard searched by boat and helicopter, with Natural Resources Police, Baltimore City Fire Department and Maryland State Police also out looking for Van Dyke.
“We worked extremely closely with our remarkable state and local partners to do everything we could to return Mr. Van Dyke to his family,” said Capt. Joseph Loring, commander, Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region. “Despite the extensive search effort, we were unable to locate him. Our hearts go out to Mr. Van Dyke’s loved ones.”
USCG and its partners are now working together to investigate the cause of the tragedy.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
