UPDATE: Air/sea search off south Bainbridge Island, seen/heard from West Seattle

| Helicopter | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

10:08 PM: We’ve had a few questions about what appears to be a search off Alki Point. The US Coast Guard has tweeted that there’s a search for someone in the water in Rich Passage, off south Bainbridge. (added) According to a USCG news release (read it here in full), a 54-year-old Bainbridge Island man is missing after his 15-foot fishing boat turned up empty and adrift more than three hours ago. He apparently had launched from the Port Orchard Marina.

9:46 AM TUESDAY: The search was reported to still be under way as of early this morning.

10:16 PM TUESDAY: As noted in comments, the USCG says it searched far and wide but finally had to suspend the search at 1:43 pm today.

Guy October 26, 2015 (11:08 pm)

Wow you are good! Always up to date on everything.

ktrapp October 26, 2015 (11:24 pm)

Yup! I just heard a couple low flying helicopters in the Admiral area, and immediately thought “I wonder if the blog has anything on this…”

Jessica October 27, 2015 (12:18 am)

Yep, I live off beach drive and have been hearing the low flying helicopter & have been watching it searching all of the banks & water all around me.
I knew to go straight to the W.S.B. & y’all would have the information as to why I am hearing & CN this. After he passed over my house and in front of my house several times, I knew there was a search going on in the water!!
Dang, 3 hours ago!! I sure hope they find him & I sure hope he is ok. That is very scary. It was pretty windy out there today. It was strong enuff to blow out my heat (pilot light!!)
I pray they find him!!!!!
Thanks again WSB for the update! Love that U R always so on top of everything!! ;)

Out for a walk October 27, 2015 (12:21 am)

Low flying planes going back and forth several times on western shores from Vashon to Bainbridge. Just now one flying south along the shores of Beach Dr. … Blue flashing lights across the way perhaps on southeast shore of Bainbridge. …. But what seems odd to me is how fast the plane has been flying. Would not think they could see anyone in the water flying that fast. Any explanation for why they are flying so fast? In times past, they have had helicopters flying low and going slow. Just curious. Do hope they locate the fellow.

kate October 27, 2015 (9:53 pm)

We’re on the northwest shore of Vashon and had helicopters circling overhead early this afternoon. We were wondering if it might be related the Bainbridge search. Unfortunately, Vashon does not have a stellar blog like West Seattle.

WSB October 27, 2015 (10:15 pm)

Probably. This updated news release, which I will link in the story for archives’ sake, says they quit before 2 pm after searching over 400 miles: http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2618486/

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