A Maryland waterman fell off his boat Tuesday morning in the Chesapeake Bay, prompting a search by the Coast Guard and local fire departments.
UPDATE: The Coast Guard suspended its active search just before 7 p.m. Tuesday after covering 70 square nautical miles during 11.5 hours of looking, while the Maryland Department of Natural Resources continued its search into Wednesday with aviation, dive, and surface search teams.
The Coast Guard said on Tuesday afternoon that the 56-year-old waterman had fallen overboard from a 41-foot commercial fishing boat near Deal Island.
The call came in to the Coast Guard around 8:30 a.m. that the man had gone into the water two miles west of Deal Island in Tangier Sound and was last seen wearing blue and orange waders with gray boots. The weather was relatively calm, with winds of 7 miles per hour and seas up to 1 foot, according to the Coast Guard.
USCG issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast Notice to Mariners on the radio. A Station Crisfield 29-foot Response Boat- Small crew responded along with a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Atlantic City.
The Somerset County and Dorchester County fire departments, Maryland National Resources Police, and Maryland State Police also responded to search for the man. The Coast Guard asks anyone with information to call the Coast Guard Command Center at (410) 576-2525.
“Our hearts are with the missing mariner’s family and friends,” said Cmdr. Roberto Concepcion, chief of response, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Maryland – National Capital Region. “Our crews worked closely with our local and state partners throughout the day but there has been no sign of him and the case has been suspended pending further information.”
