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Hope has started to dwindle in the search for a missing seven year-old boy after his father was found dead. The Coast Guard made the "heartbreaking" decision on December 1 to call off the search for Hunter Slezak, 7, who was last seen on a boating expedition with his father, Michael Slezak, and the boat owner, Sam Wooley. Both Michael Slezak and Wooley's bodies have been found, but Hunter is yet to be located.
Hunter's mother Meg Slezak has called the tragedy "so incredibly painful." Hunter, Michael and Wooley, went shrimping in a 20-foot white cuddy cabin boat off of Dauphin Island along the Alabama Coast, on Friday November 30. They never returned, prompting a search and rescue for the three of them.
Hunter's mother, Meg Slezak, posted to Facebook about how her son is still missing despite the search being called off, saying: "I just need the closure of having his body to bury. "I didn't think my heart could shatter anymore than this but not at least being able to find my son's body is so incredibly painful. "Momma hold your babies.
They could be taken in a blink of an eye . This is THE WORST pain ever." Both Michael Slezak and Wooley were found dead in a debris field approximately nine miles west of Dauphin Island on December 1.
Captain Robert Tucker, deputy commander of the Coast Guard Sector Mobile, issued the following statement: "We are deeply saddened and offer our sincerest condolences to the families, friends, and communities affected by this heartbreaking and tragic incident. "Suspending an active search for a missing child is an exceptionally difficult decision and is only made after the most exhaustive efforts have occurred. "We thank all the search and rescue crews who worked with determination around the clock with hopes of a different outcome.
" Following the end of their official search Meg Slezak, posted a call for volunteers to her Facebook page, asking: "If anyone can volunteer their boat or plane to help look today it would mean so much. Here is the head of search party. Call this if you can help-8336628724.
" It is unclear exactly why the search has been called off now. A spokesperson for the Mobile Coast Guard told Newsweek : "Since we have actively suspended the case all the details that we have are on the Coast Guard website." The search for Hunter, Michael, and Sam, involved coastguards from Alabama and Louisiana as well as Mississippi's Air Patrol, Alabama Law Enforcement, and multiple Good Samaritan volunteer boaters.
According to Facebook posts made about the search and rescue attempt, the Coast Guard searched throughout the night between November 30 and December 1. Per Alabama TV station WKRG reporting, Wooley was a father of four and is a seasoned fisherman and shrimper. A close family member of Wooley's told WKRG : "Everyone who knew him knew how much he loved the sea.
One of the things he was best known for was taking people out to enjoy his favorite pastime-being on the water. He was responsible for so many core memories for young fathers and sons like Michael and Hunter." Michael Slezak was a middle school math teacher.
He also coached baseball and basketball at Semmes Middle School. Do you have a story we should be covering? Do you have any questions about this article? Contact [email protected].
