San Diego
After a two-day search covering 1,200 square miles, the U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Thursday for a Canadian sailor feared swept overboard near the Coronado Islands during a storm.
The Coast Guard used three helicopters and a jet to search for Joseph Clarke, 61, of North Delta, British Columbia, a spokesman said. A Navy helicopter spotted Clarke’s 27-foot sailboat, Migal-1, adrift Tuesday morning about 20 miles southwest of San Diego and reported the sighting.
The search was suspended at 6 p.m. Wednesday, and authorities decided Thursday not to resume looking for the retired engineer.
The Migal-1 had sailed out of Vancouver on its way to Cabo San Lucas. Clarke was last seen in Dana Point at 8 p.m. Sunday and planned to stop off in San Diego to pick up a passenger, a Coast Guard spokesman said.
When the Coast Guard boarded the empty boat Tuesday, the boat’s radio and navigational equipment were working and plenty of food and water were on board. But the boat’s jib was torn and the mainsail was lowered, indicating Clarke had run into heavy winds that slammed into San Diego early Monday morning.
The storm was accompanied by 10- to 12-foot waves and winds up to 32 m.p.h.
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