Search ends: 1 still missing, ‘Wicked Tuna’ TV series captain dies in NC Outer Banks boating accident

Jimmy LaRoue
·3 min read
9

OUTER BANKS, N.C. (WAVY) — A boater and dog were found dead about two miles south of the North Carolina coast early Monday, while the Coast Guard said Tuesday it had ended a search for a missing man.

The Coast Guard said Monday evening that it had been searching for “overdue boaters” in the area when they found the man and dog about two miles south of Oregon Inlet.

Authorities identified the boater as Charlie Griffin, a boat captain who appeared alongside his crew on the Reels of Fortune in the National Geographic series, “Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks.”

Griffin and his dog Leila departed from Virginia Beach and were en route to Pirate’s Cove Marina, Manteo, for repairs, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday.

Charlie Griffin and his dog Leila departed from Virginia Beach and were en route to Pirate’s Cove Marina, Manteo, for repairs, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday. Photo from U.S. Coast Guard
Charlie Griffin and his dog Leila departed from Virginia Beach and were en route to Pirate’s Cove Marina, Manteo, for repairs, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday. Photo from U.S. Coast Guard

Chad Dunn, 36, is still missing after the 41-hour search by sea and air, the Coast Guard said. Photos from the Coast Guard showed the boat Jay’s Goodrun from Falmouth, Massachusetts wrecked in the surf along the coast.

“It is with the deepest sadness we report that Charlie Griffin and his beloved dog, Leila, have passed away in a boating accident today, March 4,” a post on the Reels of Fortune Wicked Tuna Facebook page read. “Please keep family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. We will forever remember Griff!”

<em>Drone footage of capsized boat (Courtesy: National Park Service)</em>
Drone footage of capsized boat (Courtesy: National Park Service)

The boaters vanished while visibility was a little over half a mile, seas were at 4 to 6 feet, and winds were 10 to 15 knots, according to the Coast Guard.

NC Watermen United shared a similar post, saying, “‘Griff’ touched all whom he met, including all his fans from his days on ‘Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks.'”

Charlie Griffin and his dog Leila departed from Virginia Beach and were en route to Pirate’s Cove Marina, Manteo, for repairs, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday. Photo from U.S. Coast Guard
Charlie Griffin and his dog Leila departed from Virginia Beach and were en route to Pirate’s Cove Marina, Manteo, for repairs, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday. Photo from U.S. Coast Guard

Griffin and his crew starred in seasons two through five of the National Geographic series, “Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks.” Griffin’s crew won the fourth season.

“Charlie was known to all as a spirited fisherman with a big heart,” National Geographic and production company Pilgrim Media Group said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “We join Charlie’s family, fellow cast members, and friends in mourning his untimely loss.”

Drone footage of capsized boat (Courtesy: National Park Service)
Drone footage of capsized boat (Courtesy: National Park Service)

Griffin’s vessel appeared to have capsized and washed ashore in the Pea Island surf south of the Oregon Inlet, the Coast Guard, officials said.

“We searched for 41 hours, conducted 12 search patterns, and covered approximately 400 miles by air, sea and on shore with our local partners to find Chad and bring him home,” said Cmdr. Corrie Sergent, Deputy, Sector North Carolina. “No two cases are ever the same. It is one of the hardest decisions to call off a search, and we offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this tragic event.”

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