Search Suspended for Eldersburg Man Missing at Sea After Two Friends Rescued From Capsized Boat

The Coast Guard has suspended their search for an Eldersburg man who had set out on the water off the coast of Florida in a boat, after rescuing the two friends who had been with him from their capsized boat.

The missing man has been identified as 54-year-old Gilbert Valdes, according to news station WFLA out of Florida.

Concerned citizens reported to the Coast Guard just after 10 p.m. Friday night that the three men had set out in a truck towing a trailer carrying the boat from Alachua, Florida at 5:30 a.m. that morning. They had not been seen since.

The truck and trailer were located at a boat ramp at Cedar Key the next morning, at which point Coast Guard crews set out by boat and helicopter to search for the men, WFLA reports.

About two hours later, a rescue helicopter crew located the two other men aboard their capsized boat six miles south of Sea Horse Key, Florida.

The two survivors have been identified as Garrick Valdes from Locust Grove, Virginia, and Bruce Smith from Alachua, Florida.

“Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Gilbert,” Capt. Gregory Case, Sector Commander of the Coast Guard Sector in St. Petersburg, Florida, in a statement. “Suspending the search is never an easy decision to make, but despite our best efforts, we were unable to locate Mr. Valdes.”

PHOTO: A 27-foot Coast Guard utility boat sets out to search for missing boaters on Saturday, May 21, 2016. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley J. Johnson.