Search suspended for containership crewman off NY

The following is text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:

(NEW YORK) — The Coast Guard suspended its search Sunday at 12:15 p.m. for a man who fell overboard from a containership near Ambrose Channel, N.Y., on Saturday morning.

Coast Guard crews searched for over 24 hours and covered more than 460 square miles Saturday and into Sunday for the missing 35-year-old man who was reportedly wearing an orange jumpsuit.

At approximately 8:30 a.m., Saturday, watch standers at Coast Guard Sector New York received a mayday call from the containership Northern Jaguar reporting that a crewmember had fallen overboard while arranging a pilot ladder in 15-foot seas and 35-mph winds.

The search included Coast Guard cutter Shrike, an 87-foot cutter home-ported in Sandy Hook, N.J., an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, N.J., an HC-144A Ocean Sentry aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Mass.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends involved in this case. The suspension of an active search and rescue case is a difficult decision to make,” said Capt. Jason Tama, commander of Coast Guard Sector New York. "Factors such as water temperature, weather conditions, and length of time the person has been missing, inform the decision.”

The search is suspended pending any further developments.

By Professional Mariner Staff