Coast Guard resumes search for missing man Jeffrey Kale after boat was found off NC coast

The United States Coast Guard announced Tuesday it has resumed its search for missing boater off the coast of North Carolina after suspending the search on Monday.

Jeffrey Kale, 47, from Clover, South Carolina, was last seen around 4 p.m. Saturday aboard a white 32-foot Cape Horn center-console boat departing the Southport Wildlife Boat Ramp, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard said the search resumed after a good Samaritan located a vessel matching the description of the boat Kale was aboard. This was located nearly 83 miles east of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina according to the Oak Island police.

"Coast Guard Sector North Carolina issued an urgent marine information bulletin to mariners in the area, requesting assistance locating Kale," the Coast Guard said in a news release Tuesday. "Multiple U.S. Navy ships in the area responded to the urgent marine information bulletin and are assisting the Coast Guard in the search."

The Coast Guard said the vessel had fishing gear engaged and was moving northeast at about six miles per hour. There was nobody aboard and no visible damage to the vessel. A commercial towing company will retrieve the vessel and tow it to shore, according to the news release.

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Search for Jeffrey Kale was previously suspended

Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders received a notification from Kale's family stating he was overdue from a fishing trip around 10:30 p.m. Saturday and the Coast Guard began its search Sunday between Blackjack and Steeples, North Carolina.

After searching for approximately 72 combined hours and covering over 7,000 square miles, the Coast Guard announced Monday it had suspended its search for Kale.

“It is with heavy hearts that we suspend our active search for Mr. Kale,” said Cmdr. Corrie Sergent, Sector North Carolina deputy commander, in a news release Monday. “Our extensive search by air and sea with numerous crews, assets, and several good Samaritans, saturated the various areas we believed he may be."

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].