HAMPTON, Va. — After patrolling nearly 1,800 nautical miles, the U.S. Coast Guard, Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue and other local agencies have suspended their active search for a 58-year-old man.
He went into the water near the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) on Thursday and then drifted away from his boat and has not been seen since, U.S. Coast Guard officials say.
Emergency responders were alerted around 12:36 p.m. Thursday that a man went overboard from a 21-foot fishing boat. Hampton Fire responded and located the boat, which had one other person on board, but the man who went into the water was missing. They called off the active search around 1:40 p.m. Friday.
"Let your loved ones know where you’re going to be, how long you’re going to be out, and the area you’re going to be in," Lt. Michael Long with the Coast Guard told 13News Now on Friday.
Initial reports indicated the man fell overboard, but a spokesperson with the U.S. Coast Guard tells 13News Now the man had gotten out of the anchored boat to retrieve a fishing net from the water and then drifted away from the vessel, not wearing a life jacket.
"It's a dynamic environment and a marine environment, so that’s why it’s really important for people who go out boating or fishing to keep a mindful eye on the weather," said Peggy Britton, a commander with the Coast Guard's Sector Virginia.
The Coast Guard is no longer looking for a person on the surface of the water, but they added the Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC) will continue to monitor the area.
Hampton Fire Battalion Chief Anthony Chittum praised the teamwork of the agencies involved, saying, "We’re extremely fortunate that we have a regional approach to these things. With a simple phone call, we’re able to get those assets to our location."
Hampton Fire posted an update on X (formerly known as Twitter) at 9:58 p.m. Thursday, saying, "Search efforts continue for the missing boater. The USCG and U.S. Navy will continue throughout the night. All other assets have returned for the night. Regional assets will meet and deploy again at 0800 to continue the search."
On Friday morning, emergency crews continued using an 87-foot boat, in addition to helicopters and a land unit, to find the missing person.
The Coast Guard released a statement Friday after the search was paused, saying, "In these challenging times, we want to emphasize the comprehensiveness of our search efforts. The collaboration among our dedicated partners has been nothing short of extraordinary. Our united efforts reflect the strength and resilience of our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with the affected families and the entire community."
Coast Guard officials remind us to always wear a life jacket when on a boat, especially if you’re on a body of water that can have quick environmental changes, like the Chesapeake Bay.