Fort Myers kayaker still missing, kayak found empty

Published: Updated:

LEE COUNTY, Fla. – Rescue crews are still searching for a missing Fort Myers kayaker whose vessel turned up Saturday near the Sanibel Causeway.

A call for help was made at approximately 10:45 Friday night by Kyle Woolwine, who reported he and friend Andrew Barber had been kayaking, when the vessel overturned.  Woolwine made it to shore, but Barber, 32, did not.

At least seven agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and local firefighters responded to the water off Sanibel Island to search for the kayakers.

Crews from Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach, Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida, Lee County Sheriff’s Office Air and Marine, Sanibel, Florida, Police Department, Cape Coral, Florida, Fire and Rescue, Cape Coral Marine, Iona Fire and Rescue, Pine Island Fire and Rescue, Bonita Fire and Rescue, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation are currently searching for the kayaker.

The water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico was around 58 degrees early Saturday morning as crews started their search for the missing man.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.