BARNEGAT LIGHT, N.J. ­— The Coast Guard suspended its search at 8:30 p.m. Sunday for a missing man near Barnegat Bay, N.J.

Missing is Petty Officer 1st Class Nicholas Holmes, 25. Holmes is an active duty member of the Coast Guard stationed at Air Station Atlantic City as a machinery technician.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received a call from a good Samaritan at 6 p.m. Saturday, reporting that a 23-foot pleasure craft had struck a wave and two of the occupants were thrown into the water.

One of the men was immediately pulled from the water, while the other did not resurface.

Response boat crews from Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, New Jersey State Police, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, SeaTow and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City searched for Holmes.

The Coast Guard searched a total of 78 square nautical miles for approximately 26 hours for Holmes.




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