Body Of Queen Anne's Man Who Fell Overboard Found In Bay

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Three days after the U.S. Coast Guard called off the search for a Queen Anne's County man who fell off a boat between Kent Narrows and Herring Bay, his body was found in the water near Poplar Island. Kevin Charles Yates Sr., 41, fell Wednesday afternoon from a powerboat between Kent Island and Herrington Harbor South, say Maryland Natural Resources Police.

The body recovered Monday from Chesapeake Bay has been identified as Yates, of Church Hill. Yates went missing on June 27 from a 40-foot cabin cruiser as it crossed from Eastern Bay to Herrington Harbor. He is Maryland's 11th boating fatality this year.

Yates was last seen aboard the cabin cruiser near Poplar Island, police said. He was not wearing a life jacket.

Coast Guard officials decided to suspend the search after numerous searches with other agencies by air and on the water. Crews completed 39 searches, covering more than 870 square nautical miles, but no sign of Yates was reported.

“Our hearts go out to the family; it’s the hardest decision to suspend a search like this,” said Cmdr. Matt Fine, deputy commander at Sector Maryland-National Capital Region. “I would like to thank the seven port partners that searched with us. With the busy boating season, I just cannot stress enough the importance of everyone onboard wearing life jackets when on the water.”

The Coast Guard received a report at about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday that Yates was missing. The novice boat owner had gotten underway with his friend, who had gone below deck. When Yates had not reappeared about an hour later and once the boat was in calmer waters, the owner searched the boat for his friend and realized Yates was no longer aboard. The boater called a friend on shore, who called the Coast Guard. The boater said the man had likely fallen overboard between Kent Narrows and Herring Bay.

Search crews were launched from Station Annapolis and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Atlantic City, New Jersey. Additionally, the Maryland Natural Resources Police responded with boats and a helicopter, the Maryland State Police has searched with Trooper 2 and Anne Arundel County Fire Department deployed a boat.

The on-scene weather was reported as 25 knot winds, 4-to-5-foot seas and a water temperature of 75 degrees.

Anyone who sees anything in the vicinity south of Kent Island is asked to contact the Coast Guard sector command center on VHF-FM channel 16, or at 410-576-2525.

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