JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The U. S. Coast Guard is searching the water 400 miles off the coast of St. Augustine for a man that fell off a vessel while swordfishing.
Crew members of the Fine Tuna commercial fishing vessel contacted the Coast Guard Thursday evening after a crew member fell overboard.
Peter Steewell, of Pompano Beach, was said to be wearing sweatpants, a t-shirt and rubber boots when he fell into the water. He was not wearing a life jacket.
Coast Guard aircrews in HC-130 Hercules planes from Air Station Clearwater, Fla and Elizabeth City, N.C. searched through the night. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Dependable diverted from a mission to help in the search.
The NOCC Atlantic, a freight ship en route to Spain, diverted and joined the search.
The Fine Tuna is a 57-foot longliner fishing vessel homeported in Wanchese, N.C.
