The U.S. Coast Guard called off the search for an overdue boater near Whittier Sunday evening. A boater in a red 16-foot skiff went missing near Passage Canal while tending crab pots just north of town.
The Whittier harbor master altered the Coast Guard of the missing boater Saturday afternoon. The harbor master told the coast guard that the boater typically returns by 1 p.m.
A helicopter crew form Air Station Kodiak and a small boat crew from Valdez searched an 8-square-mile area near Passage Canal and the Whittier harbor into Saturday evening.
Winds on the scene were reported to be around 35 mph and seas were at 3 feet. Two good samaritan vessels assisted with the search and found debris likely belonging to the missing boater.
The Coast Guard Cutter Mustang also joined the search, which lasted about 35 hours. Crews found no additional signs of the skiff or the boater. The search was suspended Sunday evening.
