KODIAK, Alaska — Coast Guard crews, Alaska Wildlife Troopers and several good Samaritans continue to search for a missing boater in the vicinity of Surge Bay near Yakobi Island, Friday.
A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak HC-130 Hercules airplane crew, Coast Guard Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew, and an Alaska Wildlife Trooper float plane crew were launched to assist in the search. Several good Samaritans also responded to an urgent marine information broadcast and began actively searching the area.
Coast Guard Sector Juneau command center watchstanders received a report Thursday evening that Gus McConnell was in a 16-foot white and blue skiff following a larger boat headed to Hoonah when the operator of the larger vessel lost sight of the skiff.
The watchstanders issued the UMIB and launched an Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew to conduct a search of the surrounding area with no results.
The reporting source informed the Coast Guard that McConnell, 21, was last seen wearing blue jeans, boots and an Oregon sweatshirt.
Coast Guard Cutter Maple, homeported in Sitka, is also enroute to aid in the search.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the missing boater should contact Coast Guard Sector Juneau at (907) 463-2990.
Weather near the search has been reported as calm with incoming fog.
