Search Suspended For Man Missing Off Sandy Hook In Nor'easter

The Coast Guard suspended its search this weekend for a man who fell overboard from a container ship near Sandy Hook during the strong nor'easter, officials said.

Coast Guard crews searched for more than 24 hours and covered more than 460 square miles Saturday and into Sunday for the missing 35-year-old man who was reportedly wearing an orange jumpsuit, officials said.

At approximately 8:30 a.m., Saturday, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New York received a mayday call from the container ship Northern Jaguar reporting that a crewmember had fallen overboard while arranging a pilot ladder in 15-foot seas, and 35 mile per hour winds.

The search included:

• Coast Guard Cutter Shrike, an 87-foot cutter homeported in Sandy Hook, New Jersey
• An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, New Jersey
• An HC-144A Ocean Sentry aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Massachusetts
• An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Massachusetts

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends involved in this case. The suspension of an active search and rescue case is a difficult decision to make,” said Capt. Jason Tama, commander of Coast Guard Sector New York. "Factors such as water temperature, weather conditions, and length of time the person has been missing, inform the decision.”

Patch photo