The U.S. Coast Guard will suspend its search and rescue mission off Brigantine until Wednesday morning, but are hopeful the person made it to shore safely.
Duty Officer Tom Peck said a fisherman called the Brigantine Police Department at 6:30 p.m. when he saw ”a surfer in distress” off of 14th Street. Police arrived and Peck said three officers said they saw someone in the water waving his or her arms.
The Coast Guard sent two boats and two helicopters to assist in the search, but so far they have not located a person, a surfboard, a vehicle in the area or anything else to confirm someone went in the water.
Peck said they are hopeful the surfer was able to make it to shore safely. He added authorities have not received any missing person reports.
“The key thing is we have not found a surfboard,” he said. “Not too many people are out there body surfing (without a board) in 41 degree water.”
The Coats Guard searched until 11:30 p.m. and will then restart its search at 7:30 a.m. in the morning.
