The weeklong search for 34-year-old Queens fisherman Kwahiwi Edwards ended in heartbreak on Saturday when his body was discovered on a Stratford beach near Shoreline Drive. Edwards had vanished after being swept off a reef while fishing off Fairfield, as loved ones filled social media with daily messages of hope and crews worked the waters of Long Island Sound.
Authorities said Edwards and another fisherman became trapped on a reef on June 13 when the incoming tide surrounded them, and a bystander jumped into the water in a desperate attempt to help. The witness and one fisherman were eventually pulled aboard a Fairfield Police boat, while Edwards was carried away by the current, according to FOX Weather. Search teams halted operations overnight, then picked back up the next morning as the effort shifted from a rescue mission to a recovery operation.
Large-scale search drew multiple agencies
Marine units, dive teams, drone operators and aviation crews from several towns joined the search, and the U.S. Coast Guard, Nassau County responders, Newtown Underwater Search and Recovery and Sea Tow also stepped in to help, according to Daily Voice. Recovery efforts stretched over several days until a body matching Edwards' description washed up along the Stratford shoreline.
Police and community response
"The Fairfield Police Department extends its deepest condolences to Edwards' family and loved ones," the department said, also praising the witness whose "selfless actions were instrumental in helping save a life during this incident," as reported by Daily Voice. Dozens of friends and acquaintances had been posting prayers, memories and updates online throughout the search of Long Island Sound.
Takeaways for anglers and beachgoers
Local officers and safety officials warned that Connecticut’s jagged coastline and shifting tides can whip up dangerous, hard-to-read currents around reefs and sandbars, and urged fishermen to carry GPS or depth finders along with a reliable way to call for help, according to News 12. Authorities reminded the public that tides can change quickly and urged people to avoid walking out on reefs or sandbars when the water is on the rise.
