INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — U.S. Coast Guard officials suspended the search for Jonathan Christy, a swimmer who went missing off the coast of Indian River County last weekend. The agency used aircrafts and boats – scanning more than 389 square miles within 45 hours – before calling off the search Tuesday night, officials said.
“Our deepest condolences are with his family at this difficult time,” Petty Officer Ryan Estrada, Coast Guard District 7, said in a statement. The search could be restarted if the agency obtains new information regarding Christy’s disappearance.
Christy, 46, of Indian River County, was last seen about 2:30 p.m. Saturday swimming in the water near the 900 block of Reef Road, east of State Road A1A and south of the Vero Beach city limits. Christy was at the beach with his wife before he went missing, Indian River County sheriff’s officials previously said.
The sheriff’s office issued a public alert on Sunday asking the public for help in finding the man. The Coast Guard used a 45-foot-long response boat, an MH-60 Jayhawk aircraft, an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and the 154-foot-long Cutter Bernard C. Webber ship to trek the Atlantic Ocean to find Christy, officials said.
Christy was last seen wearing gray board shorts and had goggles and a diving mask with him, deputies said. Sheriff’s officials described Christy as 5-feet 9-inches tall, weighing 140 pounds with blonde hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on Christy’s whereabouts should call the Coast Guard Sector Miami at 305-535-4472. Callers can also contact sheriff’s Det. Dennis McKenzie at 772-978-6202 or dmckenzie@ircsheriff.org.
Callers can remain anonymous by contacting Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-800-273-TIPS or tcwatch.org.