The Coast Guard has confirmed that they are searching for a boater that went missing late Friday evening four miles south of Delaware City.
Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay command center received a report that a boater contacted emergency services when his friend went missing after their boat capsized in waters around Augustine Beach.
A Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew was launched along with a Coast Guard Station Philadelphia boat crew to search for the missing person.
Also involved in the search are the New Castle and Penn Port Fire Departments and members of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call the Sector Delaware Bay Command Center at 215-271-4881.
Original Report
Middletown – Rescue crews are back on the Delaware River Saturday morning searching for a man that was reported missing after his boat capsized Friday evening.
Last evening, crews from Port Penn and Delaware City Fire Companies along with DNREC and Fish and Wildlife marine units began a search after receiving reports from the area.
At around 8:00, crews from Port Penn were the first to be dispatched to the river in the area of Augustine Beach. Crews were later dispatched from the other agencies including Delaware State Police Aviation’s Trooper 4. Crews reported that they were searching for a missing man that was last seen holding onto a cooler and a life jacket.
Crews did report finding debris in the water and on the shoreline, however, they were unable to locate a vessel. Crews also searched the shoreline using ATVs and police k-9 units as the night went on.
At around 10:15 the U.S. Coast Guard joined the search, sending vessels from the Salem River and a Coast Guard helicopter from Atlantic City, NJ.
Last night crews reported that one person from the boat was able to swim to the shore and later was cleared by medical crews on scene.
The search this morning appears to be focused on the Augustine Beach area south of the C and D Canal.
We’re expecting an update from authorities later today.
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