Coast Guard Describes Detailed Search For Missing Boater Reynier Marino: 'This Is Really A Community Effort'

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The U.S. Coast Guard says its search for a boater who has been missing since Tuesday night has been intensive, as searchers scour Biscayne Bay for Reynier Marino.

Lt. Iia Carter, of the Coast Guard's Miami Search and Rescue, told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "We have a number of boats out there, our 33-foot vessels along with out helicopter. We conducted three search patterns today with the helicopter and had small boats all over the water. We have covered 250 square nautical miles searching the entire Biscayne Bay from the north to the south. This is really a community effort and we have received a lot of support from local mariners and our partner agencies."

She added, "It's such a confined area and we have saturated it with multiple assets. The Coast Guard will continue this search as long as he is out there and we want to find Mr. Marino. This is a reminder that accidents can happen no matter how experienced you are and whether you are a boat operator or a passenger, you always have to wear a life jacket. We can not stress that enough. Life jackets are essential."

She continued, "There are hazards to nighttime boating and we try to keep the waterways illuminated but as in all situations things do worsen at nighttime."

She said the Coast Guard is working closely with Marino's family.

D'Oench also encountered a veteran boater, Giovanni Delanuez, who said that even though he does not know Marino, he felt compelled to use a 20-foot Seacraft and join the search Thursday.

He said "We were already here so I thought I would help out in the cause. Everyone in the marine field, well we are a close family. And I hope, God forbid it, that it ever happens to me that everyone else would try and help out. We took a little spin and saw a lot of cops and Coast Guard by the Julia Tuttle Causeway and being this time of year it's really windy and the water are kind of murky. The waters are not clear where the boat was found and by the Julia Tuttle Causeway there is an artificial reef and it is about 40 feet deep and the dirty water makes it more complicated right now. But I feel it was the least I could do to help out."

WATCH Part 2 Of CBS4's Peter D'Oench's Report:

The 35-year-old owner of Hellkat Powerboats has been missing since around 7 p.m. Tuesday when his boat was last seen off the Pelican Harbor Marina when Marino took out a boat he had just sold to test it for a new owner.

After that owner did not hear from Marino, he contacted his friends who searched for him and found his 30-foot vessel with damage to its front starboard side off the Julia Tuttle Causeway between Miami and Miami Beach.

A spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the agency was notified that Marino was missing around 10:30 Tuesday night. Since then, the FWC, Coast Guard and Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue have been searching for Marino, as have his friends and family members who have been using their own boats and jet skis.

FWC said it did not know how the boat was damaged. A spokesman said FWC had been using as many as four boats and divers and was also searching at night and was working closely with the family as well.

Anyone with information that can help should call Coast Guard Sector Miami at (305) 535-4472.