Coast Guard Station Freeport 25 Foot Response Boast-Small File Photo
HOUSTON — The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a missing person in the water last seen at Surfside Beach near Freeport, Texas.
Missing is 22-year-old Elijah Posana, U.S. Air Force, who was last seen wearing a maroon shirt.
Coast Guard and local agency crews searched over the course of 28 hours, covering approximately 100 square miles.
On Sunday, Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a notification that Posana was swimming approximately 100-feet from shore when an individual reported seeing him being pulled by a rip current. Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched a Coast Guard Station Freeport 29-foot Response Boat-Small boat crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew.
“The decision to suspend a search is always an extremely difficult one to make,” said Capt. Jason Smith, Sector Houston-Galveston commanding officer. “Every time we run a search and rescue case, we think of the missing as our own and in this case, the missing is a fellow service member which definitely weighs heavily on our hearts. Our deepest condolences go out to the airman’s family and friends.”
Involved in the search were:
Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston
Coast Guard Air Station Houston
Coast Guard Station Freeport
Coast Guard Cutter Tiger Shark
Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston Drone Team
Surfside Police Department
Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office
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