Missing boater found dead

Seen is Juan Gonzalez’s boat, found on Sunday, Dec. 13 with no one aboard in the Laguna Madre bay. Gonzalez was found dead the next day.

By Gaige Davila
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com 

A Port Isabel resident who went missing over the weekend while fishing has been found dead, authorities confirmed this past Monday. 

Juan Gonzalez went missing on Saturday, Dec. 12, after launching his boat from South Padre Island’s public boat ramp on West Polaris Street. Leaving at noon, Gonzalez was expected to return from fishing by 6 p.m., according to a press release from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). 

On Sunday, a family member notified the South Padre Island Police Department that the USCG discovered Gonzalez’s boat floating in the Laguna Madre with no one aboard. 

On Monday, the USGC, using a helicopter, found Gonzalez’s body, with a Texas Parks and Wildlife boat crew recovering him, a press release states. 

“The Coast Guard offers our dearest condolences to the family,” said Ensign Sarah Williams, command duty officer, Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi. “We would like to thank our local partner agencies for their assistance throughout this search.”

The Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi; Coast Guard Station South Padre Island; Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; South Padre Island Police Department; and the Port Isabel Police Department were involved in the search for Gonzalez. 

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