Search continues for ferry jumper

The U.S. Coast Guard and other local agencies continue their search for a ferry passenger who jumped into the waters of Admiralty Inlet Thursday night.

By Ron Newberry • August 19, 2016 9:41 am
Central Whidbey Fire & Rescue was among the agencies that responded to the report of a ferry passenger jumping from the Kennewick ferry shortly after departing the Coupeville landing Thursday night. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search for the missing passenger Friday.
Central Whidbey Fire & Rescue was among the agencies that responded to the report of a ferry passenger jumping from the Kennewick ferry shortly after departing the Coupeville landing Thursday night. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search for the missing passenger Friday.

The U.S. Coast Guard and other local agencies continued to search the waters of Admiralty Inlet Friday to look for a ferry passenger who jumped into the water near Whidbey Island the previous night.

Security tapes showed a man going overboard the ferry Kennewick at 9:22 p.m., eight minutes after it had departed the Coupeville ferry landing bound for Port Townsend.

A car that belonged to an 79-year-old man from Poulsbo was found abandoned on the ferry with his wallet and a suicide note inside.He was last seen wearing a t-shirt and light pants.

“Survivability in the water depends on a lot of factors,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Ali Flockerzi, public affairs officer the Coast Guard 13th District in Seattle. “We’re still out there searching.”

The marine rescue unit with Central Whidbey Fire & Rescue joined the Coast Guard and other agencies in the search.Also involved were personnel from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and a boat with East Jefferson County Fire.

The search started shortly after 10 p.m. and continued through the night into the next day. It was never suspended early Friday, Coast Guard spokesman Dana Warr said.