Coast Guard suspends search for missing Hydaburg man

The Coast Guard suspended a more than 40-hour search for a young man who disappeared near Hydaburg on Saturday. According to a news release, a helicopter, two Coast Guard cutters and multiple search and rescue boats were deployed to search for Francis Charles of Hydaburg.

Charles was last seen wearing tan chest waders and a blue float coat. He was reported missing after he didn’t return from a fish camp in Eek Point, 6 miles southeast of Hydaburg on Thursday afternoon.

Hydaburg search and rescue personnel found Charles’ skiff near California Island, which is between Hydaburg and Eek Point. They also found a pair of boots in the water near the beach at Round Point on Blanket Island. Blanket Island is 1 nautical mile southwest of Eek point across Sukkwan Strait.

Nicholas Meyer, a Coast Guard Sector Juneau Command duty officer, said rescue crews searched more than 180 square miles.

The state troopers identified him as age 21; the Coast Guard identified him as 20.

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