Beach (illustration)
Beach (illustration)Credit: Lily Aronin

The search continues along New York’s Atlantic Beach for a missing paddle boarder who was last seen Sunday afternoon.

The 41-year old man, a Nassau county resident, was spotted by lifeguards on Atlantic Beach at 3:30 p.m. local time, wearing a white t-shirt and blue shorts.

At 6:15 the Coast Guard was notified by family members that the man was missing.

Lawrence Mayor Martin Oliner updated Arutz Sheva on Tuesday that the Coast Guard has now pulled out of the search, but that local Jewish groups Hatzalah and Shomrim are continuing it.

They are being assisted by Chief John Kohan of the Miami Fire Department and Chief David Campbell of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst fire department, as well as the national county police department, said Oliner.

"The Coast Guard stopped the search this morning and spoke to the victim's family who reside in Lawrence," Campbell told Arutz Sheva on Tuesday.

"We were on the initial search that happened on Sunday, around 6:00 p.m. and we searched till about 8:30 when the Coast Guard released the small boats because it was getting dark. The Coast Guard continued its search overnight and activated us the next morning. We went out at 9:30 when the sea conditions allowed and searched for a few hours. We were out again this morning and again this afternoon," he added.

The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) and the New York Police Department (NYPD) had two boats and two helicopters take part in the initial search on Sunday, Campbell said.

The public is urged to continue to recite Tehillim (Psalms) and pray for the safe return home of Chaim Yosef Ben Ester Malka.

Members of the local community are urged to continue to say Tehillim as well. There will be several minyanim, including one at the West Side Institutional Synagogue on Tuesday evening at 6:45 p.m.

“We recognize the heroic efforts of all those who continue to be involved in the search,” said Oliner.