JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Coast Guard suspended its search for two possible missing boaters 15 miles east of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Sunday afternoon.
Coast Guard search and rescue crews searched for more than 20 hours for the two boaters with a cutter, aircraft and small boats. No evidence of a vessel in distress was discovered by Coast Guard crews while searching the waters off New Smyrna Beach.
Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville received a distress call stating that there were two people aboard a vessel taking on water at approximately 2 p.m. Saturday. The Coast Guard then lost communications contact with the unknown boaters.
The Coast Guard Cutter Shrike searched throughout the night and continued to search Sunday along with a HU-25 Falcon jet from Air Station Miami, which began searching at first light. Two small boats from Coast Guard Station Ponce De Leon, Fla., and an HU-25 Falcon jet from Air Station Miami immediately launched to search for the two boaters Saturday after receiving the distress call.
