Coast Guard suspends search for fisherman 21 miles east of Myrtle Beach

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Jacksonville Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Jacksonville Office: 904-714-7606/7607 After Hours: 305-318-1864 PA Detachment Jacksonville online newsroom

Coast Guard suspends search for fisherman 21 miles east of Myrtle Beach 

 

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Coast Guard suspended their search Saturday at sunset for Howard "Dale" Smith missing 21 miles east of Myrtle Beach since late Friday evening.

Coast Guard Sector Charleston Command Center watchstanders received a call at 9:29 p.m. Friday, from the crew of the Addis Sylvester, a 42-foot fishing vessel out of Little River, S.C., stating a crewmember had fallen overboard.

Search crews completed 20 searches covering approximately 3,052 square miles. Coast Guard assets involved in the search included:

• Coast Guard Station Georgetown boatcrews
• Coast Guard Cutter Cormorant, an 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat from Sector Charleston
• Coast Guard Cutter Forward, a 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutter from Portsmouth, Virginia
• Coast Guard Cutter Lawrence Lawson, a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter from Cape May, New Jersey
• Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter
• Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules search plane  

“The decision to suspend the search for Dale was not an easy one, and it was made understanding his experience as a fisherman and his will to live," said Capt. John Reed, Commander, Coast Guard Sector Charleston.

The incident is currently under investigation.

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