Missing fisherman’s empty boat found floating off California coast, officials say

An empty boat spotted floating off the coast of California ended the search for a missing 65-year-old fisherman, the Coast Guard said.

The fisherman, later identified as Joel Kawahara, left Neah Bay, Washington, on a boat called the Karolee and was last heard from on Aug. 8, according to SFGate and an Aug. 14 news release from the United States Coast Guard.

Coast Guard watchstanders tried to make calls to the Karolee, which was seen traveling at four knots for “several days,” but no communication was ever received back, officials said.

On Aug. 12, a Coast Guard aircrew responded to the vessel and tried to make contact but didn’t hear anything, officials said.

Aircrew saw lights and that the boat was rigged for fishing, officials said.

The aircrew didn’t see any signs of distress, officials said, so they flew back to their base in Sacramento.

Later that day, watchstanders were dispatched by helicopter and guardsmen began a shoreline search from Cape Flattery, Washington, towards La Push, Washington, officials said.

Crew members searched the area where the vessel was seen and continued looking for signs of distress, officials said.

Eventually, around 10 a.m. on Aug. 13, crew members confirmed that no one was onboard the boat and “noted that all safety equipment was located onboard the vessel,” officials said.

The boat was towed to Eureka, California, and the search was suspended, officials said.

“Suspending a search for someone is the toughest decision we make in the Coast Guard,” Commander Chelsey Stroud, search and rescue mission coordinator for the Coast Guard’s Northwest District, said in the release. “Our crews diligently search hundreds of miles. We are grateful for the numerous Coast Guard crews along the West Coast who assisted in this search. We send our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of the missing man.”