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Two Seabees’ kayaks found adrift 35 miles from island
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More from Local NewsRescuers found the two kayaks belonging to two Navy Seabees missing off San Nicolas Island since Wednesday, but the pair have not been located.
The kayaks were found about 6 p.m. Thursday, tied together and floating about 35 miles southeast of San Nicolas Island and 14 miles west of San Clemente Island, according to Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Andrew Munoz.
The kayaks were spotted by a Navy search and rescue airplane. A Coast Guard helicopter dispatched a diver, who searched unsuccessfully for the two men.
Munoz said that rescuers are refining their search to the area between San Nicolas Island and the location of the kayaks. A Navy destroyer, USS Momsen, and a Navy helicopter were still searching the area Thursday night.
Petty Officers 2nd Class Christopher Victor and Justin Johnson, both in their 20s, left the north shore of San Nicolas Island with two other kayakers about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday with plans to paddle around the island, where they are stationed, Munoz said. The men were last seen on a sand spit near the southeast corner of the island.
The other kayakers made it back to the launching point at noon Wednesday and called San Nicolas personnel to conduct a search about 12:30 p.m., said Teri Reid, a public affairs officer for Naval Base Ventura County.
The Coast Guard was contacted about
2:30 p.m.
Three Navy helicopters, two Coast Guard choppers and the 87-foot Coast Guard cutter Halibut searched for the men Wednesday evening in winds near 35 mph and 6-foot waves, Munoz said.
The men are based out of Gulfport, Miss., and were stationed at San Nicolas Island.
Posted by diaz1mari on October 19, 2007 at 10:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
HoPe AlL gOeS wElL!! :=}
Posted by sslocal on October 19, 2007 at 12:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Poor guys. Sure hope the Coast Guard pulls through again and finds them safe.
Posted by warrantseabeediver on October 20, 2007 at 3:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have been on Military Training maneuvers with UCT TWO, a SeaBee Diving unit,on the Island and the waters surrounding can be very inhospitable and dangerous. We were a diving unit and conducted our ops imposing safety first. I really hope they are found OK.
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