The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:
(NEW ORLEANS) (April 8) — The Coast Guard has suspended the search for a missing towboat deck hand near Osceola, Ark., on Wednesday.
Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River watch standers received a report at 3:53 a.m. Tuesday that a deck hand reportedly fell overboard from the towing vessel Joe Ellis into the Mississippi River at the Mid River Terminal dock around mile marker 782.
Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River responded by deploying two duty marine investigators and a 25-foot response boat-small crew.
Rescue crews that have responded:
Three Mississippi County Sheriffs’ Department boat crews
Three Blytheville Rescue Squad boat crews
One Arkansas Fish and Game officer
One 25-foot RB-S crew with Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River.
“We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends,” said Capt. Timothy Wendt, commanding officer, Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River. "It’s always difficult to end an active search for individuals in the water, but the Coast Guard is suspending its search pending further developments."
