The man who went missing Tuesday afternoon while boating in Tampa Bay is an active service member at MacDill Air Force Base.
Officials at MacDill confirmed the missing boater is an active service member but did not release any further information.
- Boater, confirmed as an active duty service member at MacDill AFB, dove in water to free anchor, never resurfaced
- Search underway 2 miles west of Little Harbor in Ruskin
- HCSO divers assisted Coast Guard, FWC in search Tuesday
The Coast Guard kept a boat active overnight in Tampa Bay near Ruskin in a search for the man. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office called off its search at dark Tuesday night but the Coast Guard remained on scene and used a helicopter to search Wednesday morning.
According to officials, a man and woman were in a boat anchored about two miles west of Little Harbor in Ruskin. Just before noon Tuesday, the man dove in the water to free the anchor and never resurfaced. The woman in the boat called 911 and activated the emergency response.
Authorities have not found any signs of the 32-year-old man.
"Our primary focus is finding our lost service member and supporting their family during this difficult time," said LTC Robert Bockholt, Chief of Media, with U.S. Special Operations Command in a statement. "We stand ready to provide whatever help they need and we request the media respect their privacy. USSOCOM will remain in contact with the Coast Guard and local authorities as the search and rescue operations for our missing service member continue."
Late Wednesday the United States Coast Guard released audio containing a call for help from a female friend of the boater, who used a Good Samaritan's boat radio to report him missing. Click below to listen to the audio: