NEW YORK – Coast Guard crews continue to search for a possible person in the water off of Plum Island, New York, Monday.
Coast Guard watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound were notified by a good Samaritan who located an overturned kayak off of East Point, Plum Island at approximately 3:20 p.m., Monday.
A smallboat from Coast Guard Station Montauk and an MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod were launched and immediately started searching for a possible person in the water off of Plum Island.
Currently, it is unclear whether there is anyone in distress, though the kayak did show signs of being previously occupied.
"We treat every case of an adrift vessel as a search and rescue case until we can confirm otherwise”, said Cmdr. Andrew Ely, chief of Response for Sector Long Island Sound. “In this particular case, there are signs which point to the vessel being operated and not just washing off with the tide, which is a matter for concern. If we can identify any characteristics about the user or fill in any timeline details, it can greatly assist us in narrowing our search to the most likely areas”.
The kayak was identified as a red, 12-foot Pelican kayak with a hull identification number of: CAZEP10662D515. Fishing poles and food were also found aboard.
If you have any information, which may assist the Coast Guard, search and rescue coordinators please contact the Sector Long Island Sound Command Center at (203) 468-4444.
Please address all further media inquiries to Lt. j.g. Martin Betts at (203) 887-4333.