CLEVELAND – The Coast Guard suspended the search for two mariners near Geneva on the Lake, Ohio, Sunday.
Missing are 38-year-old Cory Althar and 19-year-old James Wells, who departed Geneva State Park in a 15-foot skiff Saturday and had not returned before dark Saturday, as scheduled.
Watchstanders from Coast Guard Sector Buffalo received radio calls from multiple people at approximately 7:30 p.m. Saturday reporting to have heard possible calls for help, and a report of two people in the water.
Sector Buffalo watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and launched a response boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Fairport and an MH-65 helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit to begin searching. Agencies involved in the search include the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Geneva Fire Department, Seabrook Fire Department, Lake County Drone Team, and an aircrew from the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Trenton, Ontario.
Search and rescue personnel searched for more than 20 hours and covered a combined 942 square-nautical miles.
The Air Station Detroit MH-65 helicopter crew located a capsized vessel matching the description of the skiff at approximately 1:40 a.m. Sunday. Life jackets and other debris were spotted at approximately 6:45 a.m. Sunday in the search area.
The Coast Guard’s search will remain suspended pending the development of new information.
For more information, contact Coast Guard Sector Buffalo Command Center at (716) 843-9527.
Photo by: Ken Robinson / WTAM 1100
© 2019 iHeartMedia, Inc.
Hear news updates at the top and bottom of the hour:wtam.com/listen