Sunday, November 10, 2024

UPDATE: Marine police suspend search for missing boater as storm moves in

Rescue personnel search for a missing boater on Tuesday in the York River near the Croaker Landing boat ramp in James City County. (Bryan DeVasher/WYDaily)
Rescue personnel search for a missing boater on Tuesday in the York River near the Croaker Landing boat ramp in James City County. (Bryan DeVasher/WYDaily)

Update 3:45 p.m.:

The Virginia Marine Police suspended a search for a missing boater on the York River Wednesday afternoon after a storm threatened the safety of search crews.

Search crews will reevaluate Thursday morning to see if it is safe to return to the river and continuing searching for 64-year-old David Polson, marine police Capt. Jamie Green said.

Update 1 p.m.:

The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a missing boater on the York River, but Virginia Marine Police and other agencies are still on the water searching for 64-year-old David Polson.

Virginia Marine Police Capt. Jamie Green said the marine police’s search for Polson will only be suspended if rain and lightning starts Wednesday. A storm will make it unsafe for boats and divers to be on the river.

If the marine police suspend their search because of weather, they will resume it once the weather clears, Green said.

Original story 9:45 a.m.:

JAMES CITY — Virginia Marine Police have identified a boater who went missing Tuesday on the York River.

Between 40 and 50 emergency personnel and divers were still on the York River on Wednesday searching for 64-year-old David Polson of Florence, South Carolina, Virginia Marine Police Capt. Jamie Green said.

Crews searched through the night for Polson, who was out on the river with his 72-year-old brother, James, when their 14-foot jon boat capsized around 2 p.m. Tuesday.

James Polson was wearing a life jacket when he was rescued by another boater but David Polson was not, the Coast Guard said.

James Polson was taken to Riverside Region Hospital in Newport News for treatment.

Around 10 a.m. Wednesday, six boats were on the river conducting a search using side-scan sonar. Several diving units were also in the water.

Green said crews did not suspend the search overnight because of the threat of thunderstorms and lightning Wednesday and the following days. If a lightning storm starts, crews will not be able to stay on the water and will have to suspend the search.

The men’s boat and vehicle are both registered in South Carolina, Green said.

James Polson was back at Croaker Landing on Wednesday after being released from the hospital, Green said.

James City County Fire and Police boats and divers, as well as crews from the Coast Guard, Virginia Marine Resources Commission, U.S. Navy, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Life Evac, York County, Camp Peary Gloucester and Abingdon were aiding the search for the missing man.

Sarah Fearing
Sarah Fearing
Sarah Fearing is the Assistant Editor at WYDaily. Sarah was born in the state of Maine, grew up along the coast, and attended college at the University of Maine at Orono. Sarah left Maine in October 2015 when she was offered a job at a newspaper in West Point, Va. Courts, crime, public safety and civil rights are among Sarah’s favorite topics to cover. She currently covers those topics in Williamsburg, James City County and York County. Sarah has been recognized by other news organizations, state agencies and civic groups for her coverage of a failing fire-rescue system, an aging agriculture industry and lack of oversight in horse rescue groups. In her free time, Sarah enjoys lazing around with her two cats, Salazar and Ruth, drinking copious amounts of coffee and driving places in her white truck.

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