CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The U.S. Coast Guard said it searched all night and into the day for 51-year-old Davaughn Todman, who has been missing since his boat spun out and crashed off Thatch Cay early Sunday morning.
“At approximately 8:00 a.m. on January 14, rescue officers received a direct phone call from a concerned citizen relative to a boating accident in the vicinity of Coki Beach,” St. Thomas Rescue spokesman Chris Watson said
“The first unit was on the scene within six minutes and immediately launched a search and rescue drone,” Watson said. “This made contact with a 30-foot Fountain motor boat being towed by a dinghy from the shore line. The 30ft Fountain motor boat was later identified as the boat involved in this incident.”
One person was reported on board, and no other boat was involved in the accident, he said.
A further call to 911 dispatch was made by a witness who advised the operator of the boat had been ejected, St. Thomas Rescue said.
Additional resources, to include the U.S. Coast Guard, and our Community Asset Register were then deployed to the scene, according to the rescue outfit.
“Strong currents, and wind direction play an important role in the area, which challenges the search area from a small narrow passage, to open sea,” Watson added. “Resources continue to be deployed with additional search missions being conducted throughout the day.”
“We thank our multi-agency, and civilian partners for their continued assistance in this search, he said.
St. Thomas Rescue and the U.S. Coast Guard “are working jointly to bring this incident to a safe conclusion and continue to search for the missing individual both from air, land, and sea.”