Coast Guard suspends search for boater who went missing near Kent Island, Maryland

BALTIMORE – The U.S. Coast Guard in Baltimore suspended the search Friday for a missing boater who went missing near Kent Island.

Kevin Yates Sr., 41, is believed to have fallen from a 40-foot powerboat Wednesday, somewhere between Kent Island and Herrington Harbor South.

The Coast Guard made the decision to suspend the search after numerous searches with multiple partner agencies since notification. Crews completed 39 searches, providing more than 870 square nautical miles of coverage.

“Our hearts go out to the family; it’s the hardest decision to suspend a search like this,” said Cmdr. Matt Fine, the deputy commander at Sector Maryland-National Capital Region. “I would like to thank the seven port partners that searched with us. With the busy boating season, I just cannot stress enough the importance of everyone onboard wearing life jackets when on the water.”

Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region received a report Wednesday at about 2:45 p.m., that Yates was missing from the 40-foot cabin cruiser. The boat owner had gotten underway with Yates, who had gone below deck in transit and when he had not reappeared about an hour later, the owner searched the boat for him.

After realizing he was no longer aboard, he called a friend on shore, who called the Coast Guard.The reporting source stated that Yates had likely fallen overboard between Kent Narrows and Herring Bay.

Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region command center launched search crews aboard boats, cutters, helicopters and coordinated search efforts with the Maryland Natural Resources Police, the Maryland State Police, Anne Arundel County Fire Department and Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

The on-scene weather, at the time of the incident, was reported as 25 knot winds, 4-to-5-foot seas and a water temperature of 75 degrees.