NEW YORK — The Coast Guard suspended their search pending new information Saturday for a potential missing person after finding an unmanned kayak Friday afternoon near Lloyd Neck, Long Island.
Crew from the vessel Diana Lynn notified Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound watchstanders around 12:40 p.m. Friday of an unmanned swamped 15-foot red kayak with live bait, a fishing pole and a backpack aboard.
Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched crews aboard a Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook 47-foot Motor Life Boat, a Station New London 47-foot Motor Life Boat, a Station New Haven 29-foot Response Boat-Small, Air Station Cape Cod’s MH-60 Jayhawk and HC-144 Ocean Sentry and the Coast Guard Cutter Maurice Jester (WPC-1152) to conduct continuous search patterns Friday afternoon, evening and through the night.
Additionally, partner agency crews from Suffolk Marine Delta, Suffolk Air, Nassau Marine Unit, Nassau Air, Huntington Harbor Master and Oyster Bay Constables assisted in the search.
Saturday morning, Coast Guard Station Eatons Neck 29-foot Response Boat-Small, a Station Sandy Hook 47-foot Motor Life Boat, a Station New Haven 29-foot Response Boat-Small, Air Station Cape Cod’s MH-60 Jayhawk and HC-144 Ocean Sentry, the Coast Guard Cutter Maurice Jester (WPC-1152) and partner agency crews from Suffolk Marine Delta, Suffolk Air, Nassau Marine Unit, Nassau Air, Huntington Harbor Master and Oyster Bay Constables continued the search.
Coast Guard and partner agency crews searched more than 460 miles for 27 hours.
Anyone with information pertaining to the owner or the kayak is asked to call Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound command center personnel at (866) 299-8031.
The Coast Guard urges the public to label their gear clearly to enhance safety and ensure quick identification in case of emergencies.