U.S. Coast Guard Suspends Search For Missing Boater, 19, Off LI Coast

UPDATE: U.S. Coast Guard officials said it suspended its search for the missing 19-year-old just after 9 p.m. on Tuesday, according to an announcement on Twitter.

"After over 20 hours of continuous searches covering 851 nautical square miles, the Coast Guard has suspended the search pending further information," the tweet read.

Patch has reached out to the Coast Guard for comment.

CENTRE ISLAND, NY — A 19-year-old who fell from a sailboat off the coast of Centre Island on Long Island sparked a massive water search that lasted from Monday night into Tuesday morning, authorities said.

An 18-year-old and a 19-year-old went boating on a 25-foot sailboat Monday night and a short time later, at 11:30 p.m., the 19-year-old fell into the water, Nassau police said, adding that the 18-year-old couldn't find his friend, and called another friend who was onshore.

The teen, along with two other males, took a boat and were able to locate the sailboat along with the 18-year-old, but the 19-year-old could not be found, police said.

The U.S. Coast Guard was contacted after a good Samaritan reported there were two people who fell in the water from a sailboat, near Lloyd Point at the entrance to Oyster Bay, at about 1 a.m., according to Petty Officer John Hightower.

Rescuers undertook a multiple-agency search for the missing teen.

Several boats, including from the Coast Guard's Eatons Neck station, Oyster Bay's constable, s well as the Bayville and Oyster Bay fire departments, and Nassau police's Marine Bureau, responded as part of a water search.

Helicopters from the aviation units of Nassau police and the New York Police Department, as well as a Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod, were all called in for overflight searches.

The missing 19-year-old, who has not been identified, was wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants when he went overboard

"We did we did searches all through the night," Hightower said. "A couple of agencies had to stand down during the night to recoup and come back in the morning. We resumed at first light and sent a couple more boats on Coast Guard Cutter Hammerhead to get underway to assist with the search."

"So far no signs of the person but as of my last update, the search is still ongoing," he said.

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.