Cleveland - The Coast Guard has suspended the search for a man missing in Lake Erie off of Cleveland Harbor, Monday, pending further information or a request for assistance from other agencies.
The Coast Guard and local agencies searched throughout Sunday night and Monday before calling off the search at about 6 p.m.
Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Buffalo command center received a call from Metro Parks Police at about 7 p.m., Sunday, relaying a message they received about the overdue boater.
During the subsequent search, a Metro Parks Police marine unit located a boat idling about one mile off of the entrance to Cleveland Harbor with no one on board. A lifejacket and cell phone were found on board the boat.
The Coast Guard searched throughout Sunday night and Monday utilizing crews aboard a 45-foot response boat from Station Cleveland Harbor and an MH-65 helicopter from Air Station Detroit. Crews from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton, Ontario also assisted in the search during the night aboard a C-130 aircraft and a helicopter, dropping flares to help light up the search area. The Coast Guard Cutter Morro Bay joined the search early Monday. Other agencies involved in the search included Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio State Police Marine Unit and Cleveland Police Marine Unit.
The Coast Guard and local agencies searched for a total of 50 asset hours utilizing eight surface assets and three air assets in an area covering about five miles out from the entrance to Cleveland Harbor and about twelve miles parallel to shore.
Photo by: Ken Robinson / WTAM 1100
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