Coast Guard Ends Search For Man Who Died Off Sandy Hook

HIGHLANDS, NJ — The U.S. Coast Guard ended its search for a 52-year-old Bronx man who was aboard a fishing boat that capsized Sunday afternoon off Sandy Hook.

The missing man is Vernon Glasford of the Bronx. He was one of six men that were plunged into the 38-degree Atlantic Ocean after their motorboat, a 30-foot-long Grady White motorboat, started taking on water at the entrance to Ambrose Channel, a major shipping lane into the Port of New York/New Jersey.

The other five men, three of which died, were pulled from the water. Glasford's body was never found.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Vernon Glasford,” said Capt. Jonathan Andrechik, the Coast Guard Sector New York commander. "The decision to suspend a search is always difficult. Though our active search has ended, our support and sympathy remain with all those impacted by this tragic incident."

The Coast Guard said it searched for Glasford for 30 hours, over approximately 842 square miles, using helicopters, planes, ships and small boats. The search officially ended at 6 p.m. Monday.

The boat departed from Howard Beach, Queens Sunday morning and headed out into the Atlantic Ocean for a day of fishing. Shortly after noon Sunday, the Coast Guard — based at their station on the tip of Sandy Hook — received a distress call that the boat was taking on water near the entrance to Ambrose Channel.

At the time that call was made, the boat was approximately five miles southeast of Breezy Point, Queens, said the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard rescue boats from Sandy Hook, an NYPD helicopter and a Coast Guard helicopter from Atlantic City responded and pulled five people from the water. All but one man were unconscious when they were pulled from the ocean. Three were taken to Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch and the other two were taken to Staten Island University Hospital.

Three died Sunday night; they have not been identified.

The Coast Guard did not release the names of the five other people on the boat.

Glasford was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and black boots.

Boat That Sunk Off NJ, Killing 4, Was A Fishing Boat From Queens (Monday)