Coast Guard Calls Off Search For Missing Florida Diver

DEERFIELD BEACH, FL — The U.S. Coast Guard called off its search Wednesday night for a missing 55-year-old man who got separated from a group of divers off the Florida Coast not far from Fort Lauderdale.

“The Coast Guard’s search and rescue mission is one we take very personally, and it is never easy suspending a search,” said Lt. Ray Lopez, who serves as search and rescue mission coordinator for the Miami area.

The search covered 3,932 square-nautical miles and lasted for more than 68 hours, according to the Coast Guard.

Officials said the diver was reported missing about one-half mile south of Deerfield Beach. South Florida was experiencing rough surf conditions at the time.

The man was part of a group of divers that left shore aboard a dive boat called Lady Go Diver. The captain alerted officials to the missing diver around 5:55 p.m. Sunday.

The search focused on an areas about one-half mile south of Deerfield Beach in Crab Cove.

The search team included Coast Guard Cutter William Trump, Coast Guard Cutter Manatee, Coast Guard Cutter William Flores, an Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and HC-144 airplanes.

Coast Guard Stations Fort Lauderdale and Lake Worth Inlet Response boat crews as well as dive teams and land-based agencies from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Lauderdale Fire Department marine units, Boca Raton Fire Department, Hillsboro Police Department and Broward Sheriff's Office also participated in the search.