Story by U.S. Coast Guard,
5th District Public Affairs
Portsmouth, Va.

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – The Coast Guard, Navy and Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) were searching for a missing kayaker off the coast of Cape Henry in Virginia Beach.

A recreational boater found the empty kayak about 3-miles east of Cape Henry today at about 1:30 p.m.  The kayak was registered to Ken Foster, 36, of Virginia Beach.  At the request of the Coast Guard, the VBPD sent a squad car to Foster’s Shore Drive Home to investigate.  The keys found in the kayak matched the car parked in front of Foster’s home, and Foster’s neighbors confirmed the description of the kayak found off Cape Henry matches Foster’s.

The Coast Guard searched where the kayak was found with a Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter and a C-130 airplane from Elizabeth City, N.C., two 87-foot Hampton Roads Coast Guard Cutters and a 47-foot rescue boat from Coast Guard Station Little Creek.  The Navy and the VBPD both had units actively involved in the search including a Navy PC-170 and a VBPD marine resource.

Foster did not file a float plan with his friends or family.  The Coast Guard strongly recommends boaters, both commercial and recreational, to file a float plan letting friends or family members know their boating or fishing plans.  A float plan is simply telling a friend or family member where you are going and when you expect to get there.  If a vessel has trouble while boating, or the vessel is reported overdue a float plan can help the Coast Guard pinpoint a distressed boater’s position.