SITKA, Alaska — The Coast Guard suspended the search Monday for an overdue kayaker near Sitka.
Missing is 36-year-old Kale Pastel.
The search spanned more than 45 hours, 111 square miles, and included the following assets:
- MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka
- 26-foot Trailerable Aids to Navigation boat crews from Aids to Navigation Team Sitka
- Coast Guard Cutter Bailey Barco crew
- Sitka Mountain Rescue boat crews
- U.S. Forest Service boat crews
Pastel was reported missing to Coast Guard Sector Juneau watchstanders at 10:13 a.m. Sunday, after failing to arrive from an early morning kayaking trip from Sitka to Birdsnest Bay.
At 1:15 p.m., an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Sitka spotted the kayak on Cannon Island. Earlier that morning, a good Samaritan located the kayak overturned and adrift in the Eastern Channel before towing it to Cannon Island.
“This is a tough case and hits hard to all of us here in Sitka,” said Capt. Mike Frawley, commanding officer of Air Station Sitka. “We are a small, close-knit community which was evident by the out-pouring of volunteer searchers.”
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Coast Guard Suspends Search for Overdue Boater near Sitka added by 17th District online newsroom on
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