CLEVELAND -- The U.S. Coast Guard has called off their search for a missing boater in Lake Erie.
Rescue crews launched the search Saturday afternoon after Edwin Acosta Sr., 41, of Lakewood, disappeared in the water while boating with a friend.
According to investigators, Acosta Sr., who was not wearing a life jacket, decided to go swimming at some point and jumped in near a break wall in front of Browns Stadium.
Shortly after, he grew tired and began drifting away from the boat. The woman told officials she tried to save him after he called out for help, but she was unable to get to him in time. She immediately placed a distress call after her rescue attempts were unsuccessful.
The Coast Guard Station Cleveland Harbor launched a 25-foot Response Boat-Small (RB-S) and a 41-foot Utility Boat (UTB), and Coast Guard Air Station Detroit launched two HH-65 Dolphin helicopters during the search. A Canadian Coast Guard Griffon helicopter also helped.
Coast Guard crews, along with Rocky River Police and the Cleveland Fire Department, searched for over 24 hours across an area of approximately 98 square miles.
In a statement, the Ninth Coast Guard District explained the decision to suspend the search:
"The Coast Guard suspends a search and rescue case with extremely great care and deliberation. After a probable search area is saturated several times with a maximum number of assets, resources and crew effort, and persons in distress are still not located, a decision is made to suspend a case."
Officials say they do not believe alcohol was a factor in the incident.
Acosta Sr.'s son, 18-year-old Edwin Acosta Jr., told Fox 8 News he's still in shock.
"I can't believe it. I'm numb. My dad was a good swimmer, he was a good guy full of life. I'm just praying he'll come home. None of this seems real," he said.
Rescue crews launched the search Saturday afternoon after Edwin Acosta Sr., 41, of Lakewood, disappeared in the water while boating with a friend.
According to investigators, Acosta Sr., who was not wearing a life jacket, decided to go swimming at some point and jumped in near a break wall in front of Browns Stadium.
Shortly after, he grew tired and began drifting away from the boat. The woman told officials she tried to save him after he called out for help, but she was unable to get to him in time. She immediately placed a distress call after her rescue attempts were unsuccessful.
The Coast Guard Station Cleveland Harbor launched a 25-foot Response Boat-Small (RB-S) and a 41-foot Utility Boat (UTB), and Coast Guard Air Station Detroit launched two HH-65 Dolphin helicopters during the search. A Canadian Coast Guard Griffon helicopter also helped.
Coast Guard crews, along with Rocky River Police and the Cleveland Fire Department, searched for over 24 hours across an area of approximately 98 square miles.
In a statement, the Ninth Coast Guard District explained the decision to suspend the search:
"The Coast Guard suspends a search and rescue case with extremely great care and deliberation. After a probable search area is saturated several times with a maximum number of assets, resources and crew effort, and persons in distress are still not located, a decision is made to suspend a case."
Officials say they do not believe alcohol was a factor in the incident.
Acosta Sr.'s son, 18-year-old Edwin Acosta Jr., told Fox 8 News he's still in shock.
"I can't believe it. I'm numb. My dad was a good swimmer, he was a good guy full of life. I'm just praying he'll come home. None of this seems real," he said.
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