ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. – Coast Guardsmen are continuing to provide a safety zone for Brevard County Sheriff’s Office divers in the Canaveral Barge Canal in Merritt Island, Fla., Friday, but are no longer searching for the man who went missing from a barge there.
The Canaveral Barge Canal remains closed from the east entrance of the canal to Sykes Creek.
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office remains the lead agency.
Coast Guard boat and air crews joined the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office about 10 a.m., in their search for the man, who had been missing from the barge since about 9 a.m. The man is reportedly wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt and was not wearing a life jacket when he was last seen on the barge.
Coast Guard boat and air crews saturated the area alongside local response agencies and found no sign of the man. Coast Guardsmen aboard a helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., completed their final search at 2:05 p.m.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and loved ones of the missing man during this incredibly challenging time,” said Lt. David Kelley, command duty officer in the Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville command center.
A boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Port Canaveral that was assisting with the search remains on scene to provide a safety zone for the divers.
The initial story of the case can be read here.
