A 14-foot skiff is found unmanned and adrift by a good Samaritan after having spotted a man on the vessel 30 minutes prior in Shilshole Bay, Wash., Oct 28, 2016.
A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Seattle, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles and a boat crew from the Bainbridge Island Police Department launched in response to search for the missing man.
Photos courtesy of good Samaritan.
SEATTLE — Coast Guard crews and local responders are searching for a man last seen aboard a 14-foot skiff west of the Shillshole Bay Marina, Wash., Friday.
A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Seattle, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles and a boat crew from the Bainbridge Island Police Department are all on scene searching for the man.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound were notified by a good Samaritan at 4:18 p.m. of an unmanned vessel adrift, with the engine down and debris in the water, about half a mile from the Shilshole Bay Marina. The good Samaritan reported that he spotted the vessel with a person aboard 30 minutes prior.
From documentation found aboard the vessel, Coast Guard members were able to determine the skiff was purchased last week and delivered to the marina around 3 p.m. today. The owner reportedly told the delivery people that his intentions were to sail from the marina to North Bainbridge Island.
The man is reportedly 6 feet 6 inches tall caucasian with brown hair and weighing approximately 350 pounds.
The weather on scene is reported as calm, with an air temperature of 60 F and water temperature of 54 F.
Anyone with information on the person in the water is requested to contact Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound at (206) 217-6001.