Fisherman's body found near inlet

The body of the operator of an overdue fishing vessel was found Tuesday night near New Topsail Inlet, according to Coast Guard.

The operator’s wife notified Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders at approximately 8 p.m. that her husband had departed from Surf City at 8 a.m. Tuesday aboard their lobster-style cabin cruiser Marine K to fish for grouper and had not returned, according to a press release from the Coast Guard.

A rescue boat from Station Wrightsville Beach searched between New Topsail Inlet and the operator’s preferred fishing area about 12 miles east of the inlet but did not find the vessel, according to the release. At 8:56 p.m., Coast Guard personnel attempted contact the victim via cell phone with no response, but were able to obtain an approximate position, indicating his vessel was 12 miles southwest of the phone tower at Sneads Ferry. 

An HC-130J Hercules air plane crew from Air Station Elizabeth City found a cruiser matching the Marina K's description and guided the rescue boat crew to the scene but found the cruiser unoccupied.

The rescue boat crew conducted a search of the nine miles between the last two positions stored in the GPS, according to the release, and found the operator dead in the water.  The body was taken back to station Wrightsville Beach and transferred to the coroner.