Update/Final: Coast guard suspends search for missing canoers near Annapolis, Maryland

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic Contact: 5th District Public Affairs Office: (757) 398-6272 After Hours: (757) 295-8435 5th District online newsroom

Update/Final: Coast Guard suspends search for missing canoers near Annapolis, Maryland

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ANNAPOLIS, Md — The Coast Guard suspended the search Friday evening for two canoers who went missing near Herring Bay, Maryland, Thursday evening.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capitol Region command center initially received a report from Maryland State Police members that two individuals were seen struggling to return to shore in a canoe near Herring Bay and not seen again by the reporting individual. 

Involved in the search were:

• Coast Guard Cutter Angela McShan 
• Station Annapolis 
• Station Oxford
• Station St. Indigoes
• Air Station Atlantic City
• Air Station Elizabeth City
• Maryland State Police
• Maryland Natural Resource Police
• Anne Arundel County Fire Rescue

Coast Guard personnel searched a combined total of 3658 square miles over air, sea, and land over a period of 26 hours. 

"This was a difficult case, and even more difficult to make the decision to suspend the search," said Cmdr. Matthew Fine, deputy sector commander and active search suspension authority at Sector Maryland-National Capitol Region command center. "Our crews and partners did everything they could to find them. We've kept the family informed at every step during the search, and our thoughts are with them tonight."

-USCG-