Coast Guard crews search for 63-year-old man who went missing near Sanibel

The Coast Guard is searching for a 63-year old man who went missing Sunday afternoon near Sanibel Island.

Richard Straka was last seen headed toward the beach with a medium-sized green float at about 11 a.m. Sunday, according to the Sanibel Police Department. Police then reached out to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Shore Patrol.

His family reported him missing around 3 p.m.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg sent out a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and a 45-foot RB—M boatcrew to search the southeast side of Sanibel Island just after 5:30 p.m.

Florida Fish and Wildlife later joined the search party .

As of Monday morning, the search area has expanded to 20 square miles. Crews will continue looking throughout the day.

C. Isaiah Smalls II

Miami Herald

302-373-8866

C. Isaiah Smalls II is a sports and culture writer who covers the Miami Dolphins. In his previous capacity at the Miami Herald, he was the race and culture reporter who created The 44 Percent, a newsletter dedicated to the Black men who voted to incorporate the city of Miami. A graduate of both Morehouse College and Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, Smalls previously worked for ESPN’s Andscape.