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Coast Guard suspends search for missing boater off Oregon Inlet following death of 'Wicked Tuna' Capt. Charlie Griffin

The Coast Guard recovered one missing boater and suspended the search for a second boater off the coast of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina on Tuesday.

OREGON INLET, N.C — The U.S. Coast Guard recovered one missing boater and suspended the search for a second boater off the coast of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina on Tuesday.

The recovered boater was Capt. Charlie Griffin, who was best known for being on the television show "Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks." He was found dead along with his dog Leila. 

The second boater, 36-year-old Chad Dunn, is still missing.

Watchstanders with the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina Command Center said they received a report of two overdue boaters on Sunday around 11:35 p.m. The boaters left from Virginia Beach and were en route to Pirate's Cove Marina, Manteo, for repairs.

The Coast Guard said units were searching the shorelines using ATVs and a cutter on the water. A chopper from USCG Elizabeth City was conducting aerial searches before the weather got bad.

The search was suspended around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"We searched for 41 hours, conducted 12 search patterns, and covered approximately 400 miles by air, sea, and onshore with our local partners to find Chad and bring him home,” said Cmdr. Corrie Sergeant, Deputy, Sector North Carolina. “No two cases are ever the same. It is one of the hardest decisions to call off a search, and we offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this tragic event.” 

North Carolina Fish and Wildlife will investigate the incident.

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