Renewed Search for North Carolina Fisherman Begins as His Boat is Discovered Near Wrightsville Beach; US Navy Joins Rescue Operations

 

The US Coast Guard resumed the search for a missing boater off the North Carolina coast. Jeffrey Kale, 47, disappeared during a fishing trip. The search was suspended on Monday.

On Saturday, a white 32-foot Cape Horn center-console boat left the Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County. Coast Guard found Kale's empty boat 83 miles east of Wrightsville Beach, NC. Urgent marine bulletin sent to mariners for help, the Coast Guard said. Jeffrey Kale, 47, last seen at 4 p.m. Jeffrey Kale, 47, was last seen on Saturday around 4 p.m. departing in a white 32-foot Cape Horn center-console boat from the Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County, according to officials. Photo from Oak Island Police Department.

On Saturday, a white 32-ft Cape Horn center-console boat left from Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County, officials said. A photo from the Oak Island Police Department shows Kale's boat undamaged and moving northeast at almost 6 mph with fishing gear engaged. U.S. Navy assets responded to the marine bulletin and are helping the Coast Guard.

North Carolina Coast Guard informed of Kale's overdue fishing trip at 10:30 p.m. Oak Island police help U. The US Coast Guard is searching for Kale from Clover, SC, near Charlotte, NC. Missing fisherman Jeffrey Kale in photo from US. Coast Guard. Kale, 47, last seen at 4 p. On Sat, leaving in a white 32ft Cape Horn boat from Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County.

The Coast Guard searched fishing grounds and specific areas in the Atlantic Ocean using Kale's prior trips and information from his family, police stated. "He is an expert fisherman and had essential equipment like EPIRB, satellite phone, and navigation tools," Oak Island police mentioned Monday. Coast Guard searched the Blackjack and Steeples fishing areas, 7 miles apart, about 30 miles southeast of Southport. Police failed to locate Kale using cellphone data.

Jeffrey Kale, 47, last seen at 4 pm. On Saturday, officials said the search started at Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County. Photo: Oak Island Police Department. By Monday, rescue crews searched for about 72 hours and covered over 7,762 square miles, equivalent to the size of Massachusetts, according to the Coast Guard.