NEW YORK - Coast Guard and local partner agency crews are searching for a person in the water after locating an overturned vessel near Port Jefferson Harbor, New York, Tuesday.
Missing is James Bilello a 73-year-old man.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound received a report of a capsized 19-foot recreational fishing vessel near the Port Jefferson Harbor entrance.
A Coast Guard Station Eaton’s Neck boatcrew were immediately launched to respond. Shortly after arriving on scene, the boatcrew discovered an unresponsive man in the water near the capsized vessel. He was recovered from the water and transferred to Suffolk County officials.
Suffolk County officials went to the Port Jefferson’s Harbor boat ramp and located a truck and a trailer registered to two different men. After contacting the owners of the parked truck and trailer, it was determined that two men left the boat ramp in the 19-foot vessel to go fishing Tuesday.
Searching for Mr. Bilello are:
- An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Cape Cod
- A Coast Guard Station Eatots Neck smallboat crew
- A Coast Guard Station New Haven smallboat crew
- Suffolk County Marine and Air Units
- Suffolk County Police Department
The crews of the Coast Guard Cutters Penobscot Bay and cutter Tiger Shark are scheduled to arrive on scene at 12 a.m., Wednesday to commence search patterns.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Mr. Bilello, is asked to contact the Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound Command Center at (203) 468-4401.