The Tribune

TWO Eleuthera men are missing after their fishing vessel capsized off Hatchet Bay yesterday morning.

Residents spent yesterday afternoon searching the coast for any sign of Ryan McCardy, 28, and Blanc Johnson, in his twenties, who left with three other men for a fishing trip shortly after 9am.

However, police called off the search yesterday evening, because of the choppy seas, making it impossible for any boat to go out. The search will continue today.

Mr McCardy, who recently got his contractor’s licence, is the son of Hatchet Bay resident, “Jink” McCardy, who suffered a massive heart attack and died while participating in the 2011 Ride for Hope bike-a-thon, an annual event held in Eleuthera to raise funds for cancer victims. Mr Johnson, a plumber, employed by the DIY plumbing firm, relocated to Eleuthera last year, where his firm is engaged in several projects, more recently at the Cove Hotel in Gregory Town.

Inclement weather pushed the five men to a rocky shoreline after the vessel overturned, according to the local newspaper, The Eleutheran.

According to reports, the 13ft. tin boat was hit by a large wave near the first reef in the area of Unit 2 Beach.

Chara Saunders, Ephesias Pinder and Johnny Simmons were able to swim to shore; however Mr McCardy and Mr Johnson were reportedly pulled under by strong currents and pushed back out to sea.

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) with officers from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force are also assisting in the search and rescue, according to police.