Coast Guard Finds Missing Diver Off Hudson Alive And Well

HUDSON, FL -- The Coast Guard has found a missing diver safe and sound.

The 57-year-old diver Terry Hayes was located Thursday morning. Aug. 23. He had been missing since Wednesday afternoon.

Shortly after 4 p.m. Aug. 22, the Coast Guard station in St. Petersburg received a marine band radio call from the captain of a 25-foot dive boat reporting that two divers were missing in the gulf about 30 miles from Hudson.

The captain reported the two men were last seen diving near the RJ Thompson wreck, a sunken ship that's popular among divers, but failed to resurface near the dive boat.

A 45-foot Coast Guard response boat and Jayhawk helicopter began searching with the help of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

At 8:22 p.m., the Jayhawk crew located the 34-year-old diver five miles southeast of the dive site. The crew transported him to Air Station Clearwater with no reported injuries.

Coast Guard crews, including an Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules airplane crew and the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Pelican homeported in St. Petersburg, continued the search Thursday for the missing diver, last seen wearing a black wet suit and silver oxygen tank.

According to officials, rescuers with Florida Fish and Wildlife rescued Hayes. His condition is unknown at this time.

Image via Coast Guard

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