Coast Guard Suspends Search For Missing Man

A life jacket from the sailing vessel Kiwanda was found during Coast Guard search efforts by personnel aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, 47-foot Motor Lifeboat and shoreside responders, Sept. 29, 2019. The search for the man aboard the capsized sailing vessel has been suspended by the Coast Guard. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Station Depoe Bay)

The Coast Guard suspended its search for a man early Monday morning after more than 11 hours of combined searches in the vicinity of Whale Cove near Depoe Bay. 

Coast Guard Sector North Bend coordinated eight combined searches, which were conducted by an MH-65 Dolphin aircrew from Air Facility Newport, a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew from Coast Guard Station Depoe Bay and Lincoln County Rescue. All searches resulted in negative results.

Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector North Bend received a report at 11:42 a.m. Sunday from

a source on land who sighted vessel debris in the vicinity of Whale Cove, approximately one-mile south of Depoe Bay. A 47-foot MLB crew and a Dolphin helicopter crew launched and arrived on scene to commence searching at 12:10 p.m. At 12:47 p.m. Lincoln County Rescue and a Station Depoe Bay ground party arrived at Whale Cove and launched a drone to survey from above.

The  reported floating debris field was located by responders, and the debris found was confirmed to be from the overdue sailing vessel Kiwanda. The Kiwanda was last sighted by a bar tower watchstander at Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday in the vicinity of Cape Foulweather, with a northerly heading. Coast Guard crew members recovered several items from the area including: wood, a life jacket, part of a marine sanitation device, and a strobe light with the name of the vessel written on it.