Coast Guard Continues Search for Missing Sailor

Portsmouth, Va. – Coast Guard and Maryland Natural Resources Police continue their search for Philip Merrill, 72, a former Assistant Secretary General to NATO.

The search for Merrill began Saturday evening after he was reported overdue from a day trip on Chesapeake Bay. Search crews located Merrill’s sailboat off Breezy Point late last night with the engine running and his wallet and other identification on board. Merrill’s sailboat was towed to Matapeake, Md. It is unknown if he was wearing a personal flotation device at the time he was on the boat.

A Coast Guard aircrew will continue searching tonight with an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C. equipped with night vision goggles. A C-130 airplane has been involved in the search all day and is expected to return at 9 p.m. tonight. MNRP searchers are expected to look until midnight and will resume their search at first light Monday morning.

Search and rescue crews from the Coast Guard, MNRP and the Civil Air Patrol have searched more than 117 square nautical miles in an effort to locate Merrill.

Coast Guard Continues Search for Missing Sailor

Portsmouth, Va. – Coast Guard and Maryland Natural Resources Police continue their search for Philip Merrill, 72, a former Assistant Secretary General to NATO.

The search for Merrill began Saturday evening after he was reported overdue from a day trip on Chesapeake Bay. Search crews located Merrill’s sailboat off Breezy Point late last night with the engine running and his wallet and other identification on board. Merrill’s sailboat was towed to Matapeake, Md. It is unknown if he was wearing a personal flotation device at the time he was on the boat.

A Coast Guard aircrew will continue searching tonight with an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C. equipped with night vision goggles. A C-130 airplane has been involved in the search all day and is expected to return at 9 p.m. tonight. MNRP searchers are expected to look until midnight and will resume their search at first light Monday morning.

Search and rescue crews from the Coast Guard, MNRP and the Civil Air Patrol have searched more than 117 square nautical miles in an effort to locate Merrill.