Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter file photo
WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Coast Guard and other agencies are searching for a man after his boat sank in the Neuse River near Oriental Friday.
A North Carolina Wildlife crew recovered the man’s son from the water who indicated his father was missing after their boat sank at approximately 1 a.m. Friday in the Neuse River southeast of Oriental, just west of the South River entrance. He was placed in the care of local EMS and taken to Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City.
Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina Command Center in Wilmington received initial notification at about 4:45 a.m. from Carteret County 911 that calls for help were being reported on the Neuse River in the vicinity of Sandy Point.
Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast, an already airborne MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City was diverted to search and a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew launched from Coast Guard Station Hobucken.
The Coast Guard is on scene searching with North Carolina Wildlife, and various local police and marine patrol boats.
Both the missing man and his recovered son were wearing a lifejacket when their boat sank.
“We’re working with our state and local partner agencies to do everything we can to locate this man,” said Lt. Tiffany Zehnle, Coast Guard Sector North Carolina command duty officer for the case.
