The body of an elderly man was recovered in the water off the western shores of Whidbey Island Saturday afternoon.

Marine rescue units from the Island County Sheriff and Central Whidbey Fire & Rescue responded to the report of a sailboat operator spotting a body floating in the water northwest of Fort Casey State Park.

The body was recovered about a mile from shore at 12:51 p.m., Island County Coroner Robert Bishop said.

Bishop said the man fit the description of a missing ferry passenger who was captured on a security camera to have jumped from the ferry Kennewick about eight minutes after departing Coupeville on the route’s final passage Thursday night.

A search of an abandoned vehicle on the boat once the vessel docked in Port Townsend uncovered the wallet and suicide note belonging to an 81-year-old man from Poulsbo.

The United States Coast Guard led an extensive 12-hour search of the man by water and air that covered a 300-mile radius. The search was suspended Friday afternoon.