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BALTIMORE — The U.S. Coast Guard Coast suspended the active search at 6:51 p.m. for a missing 56-year-old man who fell overboard off a 41-foot commercial fishing vessel near Deal Island, Maryland, Tuesday.
Coast Guard responders searched over 70 square nautical miles during 11 1/2 search hours with no signs of the mariner.
“Our hearts are with the missing mariner’s family and friends,” said Cmdr. Roberto Concepcion, chief of response, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Maryland - National Capital Region. “Our crews worked closely with our local and state partners throughout the day but there has been no sign of him and the case has been suspended pending further information.”
At approximately 8:30 a.m., watchstanders from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region received a report from Somerset County Dispatch stating a mariner had fallen overboard two miles west of Deal Island.
Watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast Notice to Mariners and deployed a Coast Guard Station Crisfield 29-foot Response Boat-Small II crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew in response.
Partner agencies including the Somerset County Fire Department, Maryland National Resources Police, and Maryland State Police also deployed responders to assist in the search.
The weather on scene was winds of 7 mph and seas up to 1 foot.
- USCG -