APALACHICOLA — A Panama City sailor who had been missing for eight days was found in good health Thursday drifting in the Gulf of Mexico aboard his boat.
Craig S. Neus Sr., 77, had set sail from Baltimore toward his home in Panama City in June aboard the sailing vessel Mariah. In the last leg of his journey, contact with Neus was lost on Nov. 4 when he made a purchase at South Seas Plantation in Captiva, off Lee County, and the U.S. Coast Guard began to mobilize a search for the missing boater, officials reported.
However, after searching about 80,000-square-miles, Coast Guard crews found Neus more than six miles south of Apalachicola, according to Coast Guard reports.
Neus’ sailboat battery died and he had no cellphone reception to contact commercial salvage.
“His daughters had been trying to reach his cellphone for several days,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Ashley Johnson, Coast Guard public affairs specialist. “Finally they got a ring.”
Neus’ daughters contacted the Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders, but Neus was still unreachable. Watchstanders got a hold of the cellphone company and were able to determine Neus’ position.
A C-130 Hercules aircraft crew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater located the Mariah from the air and dropped a radio to Neus. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boat crew was dispatched to the area and verified that Neus was alive and in good health. But he needed a tow.
A commercial salvage company arrived and took the Mariah in tow. Neus and the Mariah were headed to the Moorings at Carrabelle where he can replace or repair any malfunctioning equipment. From there, he would be allowed to continue his journey.
Coast Guard crews searched about 76,379 square nautical miles for Neus.