The US Coast Guard has suspended the search for a family of four that went missing in Alaska after their boat capsized while they were on vacation. On Saturday, August 3, 2024, David Maynard, his wife Mary, and their two sons Colton, 11, and Brantley, 7, were sailing on a 28-foot aluminum boat around 7 p.m. local time when it began to take on water, US Coast Guard spokesperson Travis Magee told the Anchorage Daily News. The family from Troy, Texas, was sailing near Homer, Alaska, at the time of the incident.
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There was a radio broadcast that sent out a notification of the call for help, to which the boat Salty Sea responded, the spokesperson said. Four additional people who had also been on the boat with the family were rescued from a life raft without any injury, according to a spokeswoman, per the outlet.
The Associated Press reported that the search for the family came to an end on August 4, 2024. "A search ensued and crews scoured the area but efforts were suspended Sunday evening," the news agency notes. Magee added that he didn't have further information on the boat or what caused it to sink, according to the outlet.
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Shannon Kearney, the public affairs specialist for the US Coast Guard, told KCEN-TV that there were many factors in the decision to end the search, including the likelihood of survival and water temperatures, which was around 51 degrees Fahrenheit, per the outlet.
"Any time we make a decision to suspend a search and rescue case is a very difficult one to make," she said. "Cases that are suspended, they're only suspended pending the development of new information. If anything comes to light, any new information that we get, we're more than happy and willing to go out and continue our search. Our hearts are definitely with the families right now as they grieve."
A GoFundMe page organized by Tanashea Aviles, has surpassed its goal of $10,000. "By now, a lot of us have heard about the tragic news," the description reads. "Mary’s parents are still there hoping to bring them home. This family is going through a lot right now. The Maynards left a huge imprint on many people, from the laughter they brought to us, the love and family-oriented connection they provided, It is indescribable the void that will be left behind but I know if we come together as a family and a community they would know how much they meant to everyone."
