The Coast Guard has called off the search for a kayaker who disappeared in the vicinity of Mission Bay after an intensive search yielded no results. The decision, announced around 5:30 p.m. yesterday, comes after crews from the Coast Guard, San Diego Lifeguards, and the San Diego Fire Department scoured nearly 460 square miles for over 52 hours. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, their efforts were ultimately fruitless, with no evidence of the missing individual turning up throughout the extensive search endeavor.
The sequence of events began last Friday afternoon, following the discovery of a capsized outrigger kayak roughly 500 yards west of Mission Bay's entrance channel. The kayak was located broken in half, setting off search and rescue operations. The missing kayaker is said to have set out from Mission Bay around 11:45 a.m. on the same day.
A multitude of resources were deployed for the extensive search, including helicopters, a 45-foot Response boat medium from Station San Diego, and the Cutter Sea Otter. Adding to these efforts was local assistance through the use of personal watercraft, surfboats, and units on the ground, patrolling both the bay and the nearby coastal areas, as well as stretches of the San Diego River. Still, the rigorous searches along the coastline and land provided no further evidence as to the kayaker's whereabouts.
One of the pivotal pieces of information utilized during the search efforts was derived from cell phone forensics, which revealed the last known signal emanated from the missing person’s phone at 1:48 p.m. last Friday. This signal was detected just south of the Mission Bay entrance, with no subsequent pings to aid the rescue teams in their quest. Despite the technology at their disposal, search crews were unable to garner additional leads, prompting the tough decision to suspend the operation.
The decision to halt the search was a coordinated one, made in partnership with the various involved agencies, and was predicated on multiple factors: the absence of new evidence, the environmental conditions, and an assessment of the likelihood of the individual's survival. While active search operations have ceased, the Coast Guard remains open to resuming the search upon receiving new and credible information. As such, they encourage the public to contact the Joint Harbor Operation Center watchstanders at (619) 278-7013 with any pertinent details that may emerge. Media inquiries can be directed to the Coast Guard District 11 Public Affairs at (206)-815-6689.
