Coast Guard ends extensive search off Maryland coast

OCEAN CITY, Md. (7News) — The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a mariner believed to have gone overboard from a vessel off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland, after an extensive search covering thousands of square nautical miles.

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The search was suspended Friday afternoon after crews spent approximately 20 hours searching 2,539 square nautical miles, an area the Coast Guard described as roughly the size of Delaware.

Authorities said the search will remain suspended pending further information.

Following the suspension, the Coast Guard Cutter Pompano took the unmanned vessel under tow and began returning it to shore. At about 11 p.m. Friday, the cutter transferred the tow to a boat crew from Coast Guard Station Indian River.

The vessel was brought to Coast Guard Station Indian River, where it remained overnight. Friends of the mariner’s family recovered the boat at approximately 1 p.m. Saturday, according to the Coast Guard.

Multiple Coast Guard units participated in the search effort, including crews from Coast Guard Station Ocean City, Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, Coast Guard Sector Virginia, Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region, Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay and Coast Guard East District.

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No additional information about the missing mariner was immediately released.