MELBOURNE, Fla. — Officials are searching for a boater after his vessel was found in Melbourne on Wednesday evening.
Dale Allan Hossfield, 68, left his residence in Vero Beach around 10:30 a.m. to pick up his boat from dry storage in a Fort Pierce marina and has not been seen or heard from since, according to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.
It was reported that Hossfield left from the Fort Pierce Inlet at about 2 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard then received a report at 5:45 p.m. that a 29-foot boat had washed ashore with the engines still running on Melbourne Beach.
Just spoke to Dale's niece.
— Meghan McRoberts (@MeghanWPTV) May 19, 2022
She says this is incredibly strange, he fishes all the time, didn't have health issues to keep him from fishing. Conditions yesterday were like "glass" she says.
His boat washed ashore still running, w/phone and wallet on board.
Please share.@WPTV https://t.co/lYRguWgXDx
The Coast Guard said they are using the following assets in the search:
- Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew
- Station Fort Pierce 45-foot response boat
- Station Port Canaveral 45-foot response boat
- Coast Guard Cutter Manowar boat crew
- Coast Guard Cutter Ibis boat crew
- Coast Guard Cutter Skipjack boat crew
- Coast Guard Auxilary Saber-14 aircrew
Other agencies involved in the search include the Florida Fish and Wildlife and Brevard County Sheriff's Office.
WPTV reporter Meghan McRoberts spoke with Hossfield's niece, who said the situation is incredibly strange.
She said her uncle fishes all the time and didn't have any health issues that would keep him from fishing.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Hossfield, contact Coast Guard Miami's command center at 305-535-4472.
