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The search for William Woodworth, the Massapequa man who went missing Sunday and may have gone into Shinnecock Bay resumed Monday morning. DANA SHAW DANA SHAW
William Woodworth has been missing since Sunday, January 17.
The search for William Woodworth, a Massapequa man who went missing Sunday, January 17, and may have gone into Shinnecock Bay will continue for “the next few days at least,” Southampton Town Police spokesperson Lieutenant Susan Ralph said Tuesday afternoon.
The search of the east bay off Hampton Bays and the shoreline surrounding the Pawnee Street subdivision ran from sunrise to sunset on Monday and Tuesday. Searchers continued their efforts over the same area of the east bay as was covered over the course of three hours on Sunday, before darkness hampered efforts, Lt. Ralph explained. Town Bay Constables and the helicopter from Suffolk County Aviation participated in the search. Town Police deployed their drones in an effort to find the missing man.
On Sunday, Southampton Town Police Department’s Emergency Call Center was contacted at about 6:38 p.m. by a family member who said Mr. Woodworth had left his Massapequa home after making suicidal statements, according to a police department release. The family member felt Mr. Woodworth might be heading to their Hampton Bays home, police said. His vehicle was located at the second home and it appeared he could have entered the beach nearby, according to police. Articles of clothing were found on the beach in the neighborhood near Pawnee Street, according to James Curto, of the Search and Rescue Division of Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound.
The Coast Guard was notified by Southampton Town Police at approximately 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Suffolk County Police Aviation participated in the search both with a helicopter and drones. Volunteers from the Hampton Bays Fire Department also added a drone to the search effort, while personnel searched area marinas and walked local docks and the shoreline, Chief Chris Hansen reported. They’d been called upon to assist in the search at around 6:30 p.m., Chief Hansen said. A member of the department joined the search on the waters of east Shinnecock Bay, piloting his own craft.
Also participating in the effort were the New York State Police K9 unit, the Southampton Village Police K9 team, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, Southampton Town Bay Constables, members of the Southampton Fire Department and Sea Tow. After three hours on Sunday, the search was suspended, to resume Monday and Tuesday and over the next several days if necessary.
Mr. Woodworth is described as white, about 6 feet 2 inches tall, 210 pounds, with hazel eyes and gray hair. Police have asked that if anyone sees him to call 911.
