No Sign Yet Of Fisherman Missing Off Coast Of Montauk; Search Continues

MONAUK, NY — The desperate search continues on Tuesday for a fisherman gone missing 30 miles south of Montauk, the United States Coast Guard said. He was not wearing a life jacket, the USCG said.

According to USCG operation controller John Olsen, there has been no sign yet of the fisherman, a crewmember of the fishing vessel Miss Shauna.

"We're still searching," he said.

Olsen said there are a lot of local fishing vessels who've joined the effort, along with the Coast Guard's three surface assets and an aircraft.

The crewmember was definitely confirmed to have been on the boat before he went missing, Olsen said.

The man, 55, was last seen Monday afternoon, USCG said.

At approximately 4:30 p.m., Monday watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound were notified by VHF-radio from Miss Shauna that the crewmember had not reported for his watch and could not be located aboard the boat; he was last seen at 4 p.m., Monday, USCG said.

Sector watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched several Coast Guard assets; involved in the search are a 47 foot motor life boat from Coast Guard Station Montauk, a 47 foot motor life boat Coast Guard Station Shinnecock, a MH=60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, an HC-144 Ocean Sentry Plane from Air Station Cape Code, an HC-130 Hercules plane from Air Station Elizabeth City, Coast Guard Cutter Juniper and Coast Guard Cutter Shrike, the USCG said.

For more than 18 hours a number of Coast Guard units, as well as 10 fishing vessels, have searched units more than 4,000 square miles for the missing crewmember of the fishing vessel Miss Shauna. The 51-foot fishing vessel Miss Shauna is homeported in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Anyone with information regarding the case, is asked to call Sector Long Island Sound at 203-468-4401.

Patch courtesy photo.

The frantic search has many reflecting on another story of a fisherman lost off Montauk: The miracle survival of John Aldridge, a Montauk lobsterman who was swept off his boat and spent 13 hours in the water in 2013, is now the focus of a riveting book and movie.