Search Suspended For Missing Kayaker, 18, In Connecticut River

OLD SAYBROOK, CT — The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a missing 18-year-old kayaker in the water near the mouth of the Connecticut River in Old Saybrook. The Coast Guard called off the search at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Crews had been searching for William Zadrozny, 18, since about 5 p.m. on Monday when Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound received a call from a Good Samaritan reporting an overturned kayak with a lifejacket and fishing gear on board, according to the Coast Guard. Zadrozny was reportedly wearing work boots, a grey and yellow jacket, and jeans.

“After working with our port partners to search extensively throughout the night and today, we’ve made the difficult decision to suspend the search,” said Cmdr. Andrew Ely, chief of response, Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound. “The decision to suspend is never made lightly, and our hearts go out to the family and friends of William Zadrozny.”

The Coast Guard along with state and local agencies searched for a total of 33 hours and saturated a 381-square-mile area to locate the missing kayaker, according to officials.