Islamorada rescuers call off search for 77-year-old who went missing on Monday
After about 60 hours, U.S. Coast Guard crews called off their search for a missing 77-year-old man in Islamorada on Thursday evening.
“The decision to suspend a search is never easy,” Capt. Adam Chamie, commanding officer of Sector Key West, said in a statement.
The search for the missing man, identified as Paul James, began Monday after ocean authorities were alerted on Monday around 1 p.m. by a tracking device that emits a distress signal to rescuers, or an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon.
The alert went off on a 30-foot Grady-White boat about 14 miles south of Matecumbe in Islamorada.
“Our sincere condolences go out to the family who lost their loved one,” Chamie added.
Rescuers searched a total of about 3,190 square miles by boat and helicopter, Chamie said.
Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the Coast Guard Sector Key West command center at 305-292-8727.
This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 9:49 PM.
