Body of missing boater found

Both the Door County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. Coast Guard have confirmed the body of a missing boater was recovered from the Bay of Green Bay near the town of Gardner Saturday.

According to a news release from the Sheriff's Department, at about 8:30 p.m. Friday it was notified a sailboat had washed ashore near Wood Lane and North Stevenson Pier Roads. "The boat was about 50 feet offshore in about five feet of water." The Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department launched its rescue boat and boarded the vessel. No one was on the sailboat.

The news release goes on to state, "Subsequent investigation found that the owner of the boat had been out on Green Bay sailing by himself since 1:30 p.m. and was headed back to dock at Wave Pointe Marina."

Around 9:30 a.m. Saturday a Coast Guard helicopter located the body of a Sturgeon Bay area man in the water off of Bittersweet Road near the town of Gardner.

"The body was recovered and identified as the owner of the sailboat. His name will not be released pending notification of relatives. An autopsy will be performed to determine cause of death," the news release stated.

Lt. Junior Grade Tom Morrell, public affairs officer for U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan, said it was one of two helicopters sent over from Traverse City, Mich., that made the discovery.

Members of the Door County Sheriff's Department on scene recovered the body, said Chief Deputy Pat McCarty.

“The person was wearing both a life jacket and a dry suit,” Morrell said.

According to Morrell, those in the helicopter were unable to reach the man due to the high waves.

“The coast guard advised me this morning that they were dealing with 5 to 6 foot waves at some points,” McCarty said.

McCarty estimates between 20 and 30 people helped search for the man.

The sheriff's department left the scene at about 1:30 a.m. and returned several hours later, McCarty said. Members of the coast guard searched through the night.

- svhernande@doorcountyadvocate.com, @svhernandez on Twitter or 920-743-3321, ext. 112. 

Update

The search for a missing boater lost on the Bay of Green Bay near little Sturgeon Bay has been called off.

The call about the missing man came in around 8:30 p.m. Friday night, said Door County Sheriff Chief Deputy Pat McCarty.

McCarty would not confirm whether a body had been recovered.

The search ended between 10 and 11 a.m., he said.

Those looking for the lost man included the Sheriff's Department, Sturgeon Bay and Brussels-Union-Gardner fire departments, U.S. Coast Guard, Door County EMS and the Department of Natural Resources. Besides searching the water, Coast Guard helicopters were brought in from Traverse City, Mich., to aid in the search.

“They were operating under some perilous conditions last night due to the high winds,” McCarty said.

As previously reported, rescue crews worked through the night.

“The coast guard advised me this morning that they were dealing with 5 to 6 foot waves at some points,” he said.

McCarty confirmed searchers located the man's boat.

“We’re not going to recover it,” he said.

McCarty did not know who made the call to report the man missing or if he was the only person in the boat.

Search crews were only looking for one person, he said.

Sheriff Steve Delarwelle is expected to put out a press release in the next few hours.

“More information will be forthcoming,” McCarty said. He does not expect the man's name to be released today.

- svhernande@doorcountyadvocate.com, @svhernandez on Twitter or 920-743-3321, ext. 112. 

Original story below.

Rescue workers searched through the night for a missing man on the Bay of Green Bay near Little Sturgeon Bay.

The call about a missing boater came in around 8:30 p.m., said Door County Sheriff Chief Deputy Pat McCarty.

McCarty declined to release the man's name but did say he was not part of this weekend's bass tournament.

Those looking for the lost man include the Sheriff's Department, Sturgeon Bay and Brussels-Union-Gardner fire departments, U.S. Coast Guard, Door County EMS and the Department of Natural Resources. Besides searching the water, Coast Guard helicopters were brought in from Traverse City, Mich., to aid in the search.

McCarty said the Sheriff's Department plans to put a news release later today.

“More information will be forthcoming,” he said.

- svhernande@doorcountyadvocate.com, @svhernandez on Twitter or 920-743-3321, ext. 112.