Crews found the body of a New York man on Monday evening after a small fishing boat sank off Westport over the weekend. One boater is still missing and police said they have suspended the search after consulting the United States Coast Guard.
Five people were on the boat, which was anchored near Cockenoe Island in Long Island Sound when it started to sink in choppy waters around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.
A boater found a man standing on a buoy near the island around 4 p.m. and another male and female were pulled from the water nearby, police said.
The three were taken to the hospital to be evaluated, but it was learned that there had been five people on a boat and two men from Spring Valley, New York were still missing, police said.
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Several agencies searched the area, but could not find the two other people in the water. The search had been suspended around 9 p.m. Sunday and resumed Monday morning.
Around 11:30 a.m. on Monday, the Westport Police Marine Division found the sunken boat.
Then, around 4:30 p.m. Monday, crews were notified of a body in the water about three miles northeast of the boat.
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A Bridgeport Fire boat recovered the body and returned back to shore. The man who died has been identified as 38-year-old Juan Gabriel Valle Pineda of Spring Valley, New York, according to authorities.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.
Westport police said the U.S. Coast Guard Marine and Air Units as well as Suffolk County Air Unit assisted with the search. The search for the boater who is still missing has been suspended since 9 p.m. Monday.
Any boaters who were in the area of Cockenoe Island between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday are asked to call Westport police at 203-341-6000.
