UPDATE - 9:58 p.m.
The bulk of the search for a boater who went missing Friday near the Courtney Campbell Causeway has been called for the night. Authorities said it was simply too dangerous in the dark and windy conditions to continue the search.
Authorities said searchers recovered the rental boat involved in the incident, but there has been no sign of the boater.
"There was only one actual witness to the incident and they didn't have a great vantage point of exactly how he went under the water," said FWC spokesperson Matthew Dallarosa. "We just know he was pushing the vessel off of the ground that the boat had come grounded upon and in the process he was overcome by the water."
Two bystanders reportedly jumped in to help, but they couldn't reach him. Police, marine, and dive units from two counties responded to the scene to aid in the search.
"We've been using all the technology we can," said Dallarosa. " I know the Coast Guard was using a lot of technology in their helicopters, our officers were all using side scan and bottom machine sonar to try and search under the water, and the dive teams were actually doing a physical search."
Multiple agencies are looking for a missing boater in Pinellas County.
- Police say boat hit sandbar, man jumped off boat
- Search taking place off Courtney Campbell Causeway ramp
The search was taking place Friday afternoon just off the Courtney Campbell Causeway ramp.
The search began after a report that a man and woman were on a boat and that the man went overboard.
Tampa Police said the boat hit a sandbar. The man reportedly jumped off the boat to push it off the sandbar but went under water.
The woman tossed a life jacket to the man, but he has not resurfaced.
Tampa Police marine and dive units, as well as the Coast Guard and Clearwater Police marine units, were searching for the man.
Bay News 9's Laurie Davison is at the scene and will have updates.