HOUSTON — Coast Guard, Jamaica Beach Marine Division, Galveston Beach Patrol and Galveston County Sheriff’s have suspended the search for a missing man in San Luis Pass, between Freeport and Galveston. A family member of the missing man called Coast Guard search coordinators at 8:05 a.m. Monday, reporting she and other family members found his body in the water by the shore, near where he went missing in San Luis Pass.
A woman was reportedly swept out to sea Sunday and other individuals, including Stephen Espedal, attempted to rescue her, but were also swept out. The woman was able to make it to shore and a good Samaritan in a boat was able to rescue two others, but Espedal was not found.
An individual on the beach called Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders at about 8:20 p.m. to notify them of what they saw. They immediately deployed a Coast Guard Station Freeport boat crew and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston to search for the missing people.
Coast Guard crews searched throughout the night but were unable to locate him.
