Coast Guard Calls Off Search for Missing Paraglider off Robins Island

Update:

The Coast Guard, along with all East End police departments involved in the search, suspended looking for a paraglider at about 1:45 p.m. Monday afternoon, after no one was reported missing, and no other correlating information such as empty vehicles in parking lots was found throughout the East End, says Coast Guard Search & Rescue Controller Peter Winters of the Long Island Sound Sector.

The original report to Southampton Police stated someone had seen what they thought was a paraglider crashing into the bay off of Robins Island.

Original Story:

Coast Guard rescue crews are searching for a missing paraglider near Robins Island in the Peconic Bay, a popular spot with the foot-launched, chute-propelled sport.

The paraglider was last seen at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday, and Southampton Police dispatchers received a call at 5:45 p.m. notifying them of what looked like a paraglider crashing into the bay.

Coast Guard Station Shinnecock has launched a 25-foot Response Boat Small crew and Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod has launched a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew to assist the search by air, with the help of the North Sea Fire Department, Suffolk County Police Aviation and Southampton Town Bay Constables.

The wind in the area was blowing 20-25 knots out of the south-southwest at the time of the glider’s disappearance, prime conditions that often draw paragliders to practice their sport over the waters surrounding the island. Paragliders often skim the surface of the water there.

If you have any information, contact Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound command center at 203.468.4401.