The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a dad who disappeared off the coast of California while kayaking.
The missing kayaker departed from Mission Bay in San Diego around 11:45 a.m. local time on Friday, Feb. 14, Coast Guard officials said in a statement.
The search for him began later that day after San Diego lifeguards found an “overturned” outrigger kayak “approximately 500 yards west of the Mission Bay entrance channel,” authorities added.
Family members have identified the missing man as Danny Marron, according to FOX affiliate KSWB and ABC affiliate KGTV.
His kayak was “found broken in half,” but otherwise “appeared new with no signs of use,” officials noted.
Danny is a member of the Yuma and San Diego paddle communities, a GoFundMe organizer wrote in the fundraiser’s description started to support the missing man’s family.
Dr. Eryka Arizaga, Danny’s wife, said her husband, whom she met 20 years ago at Yuma High School, knew the route where he disappeared “like the back of his hand,” according to KSWB.
Coast Guard officials said the last known ping from his phone “occurred at 1:48 p.m. on Friday, just south of the Mission Bay entrance.”
However, they added, “Despite exhaustive search efforts, no additional clues were found.”
The Coast Guard suspended its search for Danny around 5:30 p.m. local time on Sunday, Feb. 16.
Crews “searched a nearly 460 square mile area” over more than 50 hours, “but found no signs of distress,” according to officials.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“The decision to suspend the search was made in coordination with local agency partners, after considering negative search results, environmental factors, and the probability of survival,” they added.
Arizaga said Danny was a competition outrigger paddler who sometimes races alongside their 9-year-old daughter, according to KSWB. “They had a really great time,” she added.
The Coast Guard and lifeguards went “above and beyond” to look for Danny, Arizaga explained. “It’s incredible and we are very appreciative of them and their kindness,” she added. “Not only their search, but for the way they’ve received us and cared for us.”
More than $20,000 has been raised through the GoFundMe campaign as of Wednesday, Feb. 19.
The search for Danny will resume “if new information comes to light,” Coast Guard officials said.
Read the full article here
