Coast Guard closes search for missing kite surfer near Ocean City, New Jersey

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic Contact: 5th District Public Affairs Office: (757) 398-6272 After Hours: (757) 434-7712 5th District online newsroom

Coast Guard closes search for missing kite surfer near Ocean City, New Jersey

OCEAN CITY, N.J. —The Coast Guard has closed the search for a missing kite surfer near Ocean City, New Jersey, after the missing individual called and reported themselves to be safe, Friday morning.

Coast Guard Station Atlantic City watchstanders received a call from 911, notifying them of a kite surfer reportedly wearing all black, seen drifting out to sea after falling off a kiteboard approximately 500-yards off Corson Inlet, at around 3:20 p.m., Thursday evening.

At approximately 10 p.m. this morning, the missing kite surfer contacted Sector Delaware Bay watchstanders to inform them that after his kite malfunctioned, he had cut it free and used the board to paddle ashore and return home. 

Involved in the search were:

• Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew
• Station Atlantic City 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew
• Station Cape May 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew
• Ocean City Police Department members
• New Jersey State Police helicopter aircrew

 Coast Guard members searched an area covering approximately 550 square miles over a period of 16 hours.

"This case highlights the effectiveness of the interagency search and rescue system," said Petty Officer 1st Class Alex Castonguay, a watchstander at the Sector Delaware Bay command center.  "Cases like this also illustrate the importance of labeling your kayaks, canoes, kite boards and other recreational marine vehicles, so that in the event they are lost, or you are missing, we can reach out to contact you or return it."

-USCG-