NEW YORK – The Coast Guard ended its search for an overdue boater near Orient Point, Long Island, N.Y., after receiving a call from the boater at noon Monday, reporting that he had fixed the electrical problems aboard his vessel and safely pulled into Pier 76 Marina, in Westbrook, Conn.
The Coast Guard received a call Monday at 8:30 a.m., from family members reporting that Todd Feilage, 36, of Greenport, N.Y., did not show up to work. Feilage left Greenport on his 21-foot recreational vessel headed for Westbrook, Conn., Sunday at 6 p.m. Family members reported that Feilage had contacted his father before leaving Greenport informing him that he was having some engine trouble.
The Coast Guard launched rescue boat crews from Coast Guard Station Montauk, N.Y., and Coast Guard Station New London, Conn., to search for Feilage. Marine units from the Southold, Long Island, N.Y., Police Department also assisted in the search.
The Coast Guard encourages all mariners to invest in a VHF-FM radio as their primary means of distress alerting on the water. Communication via VHF-FM radio provides superior alerting capabilities over cellular phones. All maritime boaters should have a VHF-FM radio onboard their vessel to assure any calls of distress are heard immediately.
