The search for a missing boater whose unmanned motorboat was located in Tomales Bay Tuesday evening was expected to extend late into the night and early Wednesday morning, according to officials with the Marin County Fire Department.
The boater has been identified only as a 70-year-old man employed by the Tomales Bay Oyster Company. But friends in the community said they are looking for the owner of the company, Tod Friend.
Marin County rescue crews said late Tuesday night they planned to stay out on boats until 2 a.m. using sonar equipment.
The man was reported missing at about 3:15 p.m., after fire officials received an emergency call from an employee at the Hog Island Oyster Company in Marshall.
The employee said their boat was near the boat that was being operated by the missing man. Operators on the Hog Island Oyster Company boat said they looked back and saw the Tomales Bay Oyster Company boat going in circles.
Rescue crews were able to recover the missing man's motorboat.
Officials said Friend wasn’t wearing a life jacket. Friends say he is an experienced water man who worked on the water daily and knew the bay well. They also said he is a beloved member of the community.
Using rescue watercrafts and helicopters, the search includes personnel with the fire department, the Marin County Sheriff's Office, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. National Park Service, the U.S. Coast Guard and the California Highway Patrol.
