Coast Guard Continues Search for Missing Fishing Boat

The U.S. Coast Guard said it will continue to aid in search efforts on Sunday for a charter fishing boat carrying Bay Area residents, including a Belmont man, that sank a week ago off the Baja California Coast.

The Coast Guard C-130 Hercules aircrew, which was brought into the search at the request of the Mexican navy, completed its fifth search Saturday of a 1,019-square mile area in the Sea of Cortez near Isla San Luis, Mexico, Coast Guard officials said.

The Coast Guard has searched approximately 3,200 square miles of ocean and land, working with the Mexican navy and federal police. No signs of the seven people still missing from the boat have been found, according to the Coast Guard.

The boat, operated by the fishing excursion company Baja Sportfishing Inc., sank at 2:30 a.m. on July 3. More than 40 people were on board including crew members and a group of fishermen from various Bay Area cities, who were on a fishing trip together.

Belmont resident Michael Ng reportedly to the Bay Area on Friday.

-- Bay City News