Body Of 1 Missing Boater Found In Waters 3 Miles From Westport: Update

WESTPORT, CT — Westport police issued the following update about the missing boaters at 9 p.m. on Monday:

On October 23, 2023 at approximately 11:30 AM Westport Police Marine Division located the sunken vessel near Nun #2 [navigational buoy]. The search for the missing boaters continued throughout the day and at approximately 4:30 PM, the Westport Police Marine Division was notified of a body in the water approximately 3 miles Northeast of the sunken boat. A Bridgeport Fire boat was first on scene and recovered the body from the Sound. Bridgeport Fire returned to Bridgeport Harbor where they were met by Westport Police, Connecticut Medical Examiner’s Office, and the family of the deceased.

The deceased has been identified as 38 year old Juan Gabriel Valle Pineda of Spring Valley, NY. The body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for autopsy. Westport Police extend our sympathies to the family of the deceased and are hopeful of recovering the second missing person. As of 9:00 PM the search for the second victim has been suspended.

Original story: Westport police are searching for a pair of missing boaters after their small fishing boat sank on Sunday morning.

According to Police Lt. Eric Woods, authorities determined that sometime after 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, the boat sank after it had been anchored on the south side of Cockenoe Island.

"There were five people on board this small vessel when the choppy waters caused the boat to sink, and all five people ended up in the Sound," Woods said in a statement. "Our search efforts were suspended at 9:00 PM last night and resumed at sunrise this morning."

Westport police are being assisted in the search by the U.S. Coast Guard Marine and Air units, in addition to the Suffolk County, New York Air unit. The marine divisions from the Fairfield and Norwalk police departments also helped with the search.

"The two missing men are from Spring Valley, NY and Suffern, NY," Woods said, adding that due to a "significant language barrier," the department has had difficulty in identifying the two missing boaters. "We are working with translators to assist with this investigation."

One of the five boaters was rescued from a navigational buoy Sunday afternoon, and two more were pulled from the water. The three were first transported to a Norwalk Marina and then to Norwalk Hospital for evaluation.

Any boaters who were in the area of Cockenoe Island between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
on Sunday are urged to contact the Westport Police Department at 203-341-6000.