Yahoo Lifestyle Fourth Person Presumed Dead as Coast Guard Calls Off Search After Boat Sank Off New York City
“He was the best person in the world,” Gloria Morris said of her cousin Vernon Glasford, who remains missing
The U.S. Coast Guard has called off the search for a man who went missing after a boat capsized and sank off the coast of New York City, reportedly killing three and injuring two others.
The agency announced in a news release that it had suspended the search for Vernon Glasford, 52, of the Bronx, at about 6 p.m. local time on Monday, Feb. 24.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Vernon Glasford,” said Capt. Jonathan Andrechik, the Coast Guard Sector New York commander. "The decision to suspend a search is always difficult. Though our active search has ended, our support and sympathy remain with all those impacted by this tragic incident."
The Coast Guard previously said officials were notified on Sunday, Feb. 23, about a boat taking on water near Breezy Point, a neighborhood at the tip of Queens’ Rockaway peninsula.
The agency also said that a Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook boat crew rescued three people, an Air Station Atlantic City air crew recovered one, and an NYPD aviation crew retrieved one additional person. The five were taken to local hospitals.
Three people were initially reported to have died following the incident, according to ABC affiliate WABC, NBC News and Sky News. Meanwhile, one person, later identified as Glasford, was missing in the water, the Coast Guard reported.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“He was the best person in the world. He was the best person you would ever come across and would help anybody,” Gloria Morris, the father of two's cousin, told the New York Post.
"His presence was always cheerful, and that's one blessing that we all have and take with us," Eva Ruiz, a neighbor and longtime friend of Glasford, told WABC.
Related: 5 Rescued After Tourist Boat Sank in Red Sea, Leaving 4 Dead and 7 More Still Missing
The Coast Guard has said that its crews searched about 842 square miles over 30 hours, employing helicopters, planes, ships and small boats in the operation.
One of the three who died was Javier Adames, 50, WABC and The New York Times reported. His daughter Alisha told the paper that she was invited to the boating trip but declined due to the cold weather.
Two of the survivors were identified as Enrique Diaz and Sewchand Maniram, the New York Times reported. Diaz was in stable condition, according to a hospital spokesperson, while Maniram’s daughter told the newspaper that her father is recovering.
Meanwhile, the Coast Guard said that it is coordinating with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation regarding the investigation's next steps.
When reached for comment on Tuesday, Feb. 25, the New York Police Department differed PEOPLE to the Coast Guard, which did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Read the original article on People
