Search restarts for missing NC fisherman after his boat found offshore Wrightsville Beach; US Navy joins efforts

Rodney Overton
·2 min read
2

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WNCN) — The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday resumed the search for a boater who vanished off the North Carolina coast while on a fishing trip over the weekend.

The search for Jeffrey Kale, 47, was suspended Monday afternoon after Kale was last seen around 4 p.m. Saturday in a white 32-foot Cape Horn center-console boat departing the Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County, officials said.

However, the Coast Guard announced Tuesday afternoon that Kale’s empty boat was found 83 miles east of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

An urgent marine information bulletin was sent out to mariners in the area Tuesday, requesting help with finding Kale, the Coast Guard said.

Jeffrey Kale, 47, was last seen around 4 p.m. Saturday departing in a white 32-foot Cape Horn center-console boat the Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County, officials said. Photo from Oak Island Police Department
Jeffrey Kale, 47, was last seen around 4 p.m. Saturday departing in a white 32-foot Cape Horn center-console boat the Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County, officials said. Photo from Oak Island Police Department

Kale’s undamaged boat was found Tuesday with fishing gear engaged and was moving northeast at nearly 6 mph.

“Multiple U.S. Navy assets in the area responded to the urgent marine information bulletin and are assisting the Coast Guard in the search,” the Coast Guard said Tuesday.

NC boater reported missing during offshore fishing trip

Coast Guard officials in North Carolina first received word from Kale’s family that he was overdue from a fishing trip around 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Oak Island police said Monday they were helping the U.S. Coast Guard in the search for Kale who is from Clover, South Carolina, just south of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Missing fisherman Jeffrey Kale in a photo from the U.S. Coast Guard. Kale, 47, was last seen around 4 p.m. Saturday departing in a white 32-foot Cape Horn center-console boat the Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County.
Missing fisherman Jeffrey Kale in a photo from the U.S. Coast Guard. Kale, 47, was last seen around 4 p.m. Saturday departing in a white 32-foot Cape Horn center-console boat the Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County.

The Coast Guard searched fishing grounds and specific areas in the Atlantic Ocean based on Kale’s previous trips and information from his family, police said.

“He is an expert fisherman and was well equipped with an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), satellite phone, and various navigation tools,” Oak Island police said Monday.

Coast Guard officials said they had focused the search on the Blackjack and Steeples fishing areas, which are 7 miles apart and are located about 30 miles southeast of Southport.

Oak Island police said efforts to find Kale using cellphone location data were attempted but were not successful.

Jeffrey Kale, 47, was last seen around 4 p.m. Saturday departing the Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County, officials said. Photo from Oak Island Police Department
Jeffrey Kale, 47, was last seen around 4 p.m. Saturday departing the Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp in Brunswick County, officials said. Photo from Oak Island Police Department

By Monday when the search was initially suspended, rescue crews searched for approximately 72 combined hours and covered more than 7,762 square miles, which is nearly the size of Massachusetts, the Coast Guard said.

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