DATE: June 25, 2008 14:45:06 EST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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News Release

Date: June 24, 2008

Contact: Ricardo Castrodad  

Sector San Juan Public Affairs Specialist

 (787-510-7923

Coast Guard Suspends Search For Mother and Son Lost At Sea In Waters West of Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Coast Guard rescue crews  suspended their search Tuesday evening for a mother and son who are overdue since Thursday from a recreational boating trip in waters west of Puerto Rico.

Jo Ann Anderson, 65, and Brent Folgner, 39, U.S. nationals residing in Rincon, Puerto Rico are still missing after they were expected to return from a recreational boating trip Thursday afternoon, but the mother and son never returned.

Coast Guard rescue crews spent five days conducting 22 searches spanning out more than 33,760 nautical square miles throughout the search area, which covered the entire Mona Passage and waters southeast from the Dominican Republic. 

Coast Guard controllers in the Sector San Juan Joint Rescue Sub Center were initially contacted Friday afternoon by Ashley Gatlin, Folgner's girlfriend, who reported that she had not heard from her boyfriend after he had departed with Anderson Thursday morning from Black Eagle Marina Rincon, Puerto Rico.  The boaters departed aboard the Agua Azul, a recreational 18-foot-white and red Fountain 1978 powerboat with a black canopy and powered by a 135-horsepower Mercury outboard engine.  

"Our thought and prayers go out during these difficult times to the friends and families of our missing boaters," said Capt. James E. Tunstall, Sector San Juan Commander.  "We aggresively searched for five days and received excellent support from the Coast Guard Cutter Decisive and Coast Guard air assets from Air Station's Borinquen, Miami and Clearwater Fla., and from our local partners, Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action."

Coast Guard rescue crews searched since Friday for the two missing boaters with HH-65 Dolphin helicopters from Air Station Borinquen, Aguadilla, a HU-25 Falcon Jet from Air Station Miami, an HC-130 aircraft from Air Station Clearwater, Fla., Coast Guard Cutter Decisive, and a Coast Guard Auxiliary fixed-wing aircraft. Since the search began Friday, Puerto Rico Police rescue crews aboard Cobra marine units also participated in the the search efforts to find Anderson and Folgner. 

Coast Guard Cutter Decisive is a medium-endurance cutter homeported at Singing River Island in Pascagoula, Miss.

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