Coast Guard Suspends Search For Missing Sarasota County Boater

ENGLEWOOD, FL — The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for a missing Sarasota County boater on Wednesday night. The search had been focused on an area 20 miles west of Stump Pass Beach State Park.

Fifty-year-old Todd Battaglino of Venice, Florida was reported missing around 1:20 p.m. on Tuesday by a family member who called 9-1-1 to report Battaglino as overdue.

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“Throughout our search efforts we’ve been in contact with the Battaglino family and we know this is a very difficult time for them,” said Capt. Holly Najarian, Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg's commander. "Suspending a search is the most difficult decision I have to make in my position, and despite our best efforts, we were unable find Mr. Battaglino.”

The search was suspended at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Battaglino departed the Royal Palm Marina aboard his 18-foot fishing boat at 5:30 p.m. Monday. He had been last seen wearing a yellow fishing shirt and khaki shorts, according to the Coast Guard.

Watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast, launched a 45-foot Response Boat boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Cortez, an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Air Station Clearwater and the Coast Guard Cutter Tarpon, an 87-foot Coast Patrol Boat homeported in St. Petersburg.

The Hercules aircrew spotted Battaglino’s boat 16 miles west of Stump Pass Beach State Park at 6:02 p.m. Tuesday. The 45-foot Response Boat crew confirmed that the boat was unmanned and adrift.

The search spanned 98 hours and covered 3,860 square miles. Assisting in the search were the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as well as marine units from the Venice Police Department.

Photo by Paul Scicchitano