| Office of Public Affairs U.S. Coast Guard First District |
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| News Release |
Date: Oct. 14, 2009 |
| Coast Guard suspends search for Gloucester lobsterman |
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BOSTON — The Coast Guard suspended its search at 10:10 a.m., Wednesday for Jaime Ortiz, who fell overboard from the lobster vessel Dominatrix about three miles south of Eastern Point in Gloucester, Mass., Tuesday afternoon. Coast Guard crews searched for 20 hours, covered 139 square miles and completed 10 search patterns looking for Ortiz, but were unable to locate him. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Jaime Ortiz and his family during these difficult times,” said Chief Warrant Officer Chris Sparkman, commanding officer of Station Gloucester. "Unfortunately accidents like these are a very real danger of working on the water. We urge mariners to take the utmost safety precautions, especially now that the air and water temperatures are getting colder." In addition to Coast Guard boat, helicopter and jet crews, the search was augmented by the Dominatrix, the Gloucester and Salem, Mass., harbormasters, two Massachusetts Environmental Police boats, commercial vessels Gateway Endeavor and Manatee, and several local fishing vessels. Ortiz, 43, fell overboard while he was working on the stern of the 39-foot Dominatrix about 2 p.m., Tuesday. |
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