The search for the missing 34-year-old Cordova man who was last seen when the five-foot watercraft him and another man were in capsized in Deep Bay on Saturday, has been suspended.

The United States Coast Guard called off the search for Erman “Tony” Fonzi on Sunday evening after searching the area under good weather conditions. The Alaska State Troopers have also ended their search for the day, but will continue to return to the area during low tide periods in hopes of retrieving Fonzi’s remains.

“As a search and rescue organization, the decision to suspend a search is one of the hardest things we have to do,” said Lt. Matthew Mitchell, Sector Anchorage command center chief. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the missing man.”

Fonzi, and another man, were with three other people at a cabin in Deep Bay. On Saturday evening, Fonzi and 28-year-old Matthew Ward, also from Cordova, decided to go out on the bay in the small craft to do some fishing. The craft capsized about 25 fathoms (50 yards) from the shore of Hawkins Island when one of the men stood up in the boat.

Ward successfully made it to shore, but Fonzi had only made it approximately 30 feet from the boat to shore when he was last seen. Neither men were wearing life jackets.

After getting ashore, Ward was able to contact the Coast Guard on VHF channel 16 and report the incident. The Coast Guard Sector Anchorage Command Center issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast apprising mariners in the area of the missing man requesting assistance. Air Station Kodiak launched an MH-60 Jayhawk to the scene to begin search efforts. The Cordova-based Sycamore dispatched a rescue boat to the scene as well, and together with the Alaska Wildlife Trooper vessel “Churchill,” searched the area for five hours on Saturday night and through Sunday with no results.