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Officials rescue 1 of 2 overdue boaters off Southeast Georgia coast

A Coast Guard helicopter crew found one of two overdue boaters clinging to their overturned vessel off the coast of Southeast Georgia on Sunday.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted Cliff Morgan from the water after they located him and the overturned 19-foot boat 12 miles east of Altamaha Sound on Sunday around 2:15 p.m.

Action News Jax was told the helicopter brought Morgan to Malcolm McKinnon Airport on St. Simons Island. Jacob Levin saw Morgan get out of the helicopter.

“He had a blanket, he looked like he’d been in the water,” said Levin, who works near the airport.

The search continues for 61-year-old Charles Morgan. Crews are searching a 7 to 23 mile radius Monday off the coast of St. Simons Island.

Crews began to search for them after Charles' girlfriend called police around 10:15 a.m. on Sunday.

The men left Champney River Boat Ramp off Highway 17 to fish at an artificial reef nine miles offshore around 7 a.m. on Saturday. They planned to return Saturday evening.

The boaters' truck and trailer were found at Champney Boat Launch.

Coast Guard crews from Brunswick and Savannah searched for the boaters by boat and helicopter.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources and McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office are helping with the search.

Coast Guard officials say they’re searching for Morgan near the site of the capsized boat. They found the boat anchored down.

Action News Jax reporter Erica Bennett is working to learn more. Follow her on Twitter @EricaANjax for updates as it develops.

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