Coast Guard suspends search for missing paddleboarder Matt Pawlowski

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for Matt Pawlowski, the paddleboarder who went missing off Jupiter on Monday, Sept. 14.

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The Coast Guard announced its decision late Saturday, Sept. 19, after six days of searching for the 48-year-old man.

It said it and several partner agency crews had searched about 28,490 square miles, an area about the size of West Virginia, since Monday. It said

“The decision to suspend an active search is one of the most difficult decisions we make, and it comes only after every reasonable effort to locate the missing person has been exhausted,” Capt. Frank Florio, commander of Coast Guard Sector Miami said in a prepared statement posted online.

“Our crews and partner agencies searched tirelessly for Matt. I am deeply grateful to everyone who answered the call and supported this extensive search. Our hearts are with Matt’s family, friends, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”

Pawlowski, an executive at NextEra Energy in Juno Beach, was last seen about 4 miles offshore at about 9 a.m. on Sept. 14. Two days later, boaters recovered a paddleboard that resembled the green and yellow 14-footer Pawlowski was riding on the day he went missing.

The board was found about 10 miles off Jupiter Island, north of where Pawlowski was seen in the water, and handed over to police.

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The Coast Guard said the search for Pawlowski involved several government agencies.

From the Coast Guard, taking part were its air stations in Miami, Clearwater and Elizabeth City, North Carolina; its stations on the Lake Worth Inlet, in Fort Pierce; and on Cape Canaveral; its Maritime Safety and Security Team; and its cutters William Flores, Margaret Norvell, Robert Yered, Pablo Valent and Skipjack.

The U.S. Navy, Air Force and Space Force also took part, as did the federal Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida State Guard.

Tom Elia is an editor at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at [email protected]. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Coast Guard suspends search for missing paddleboarder Matt Pawlowski

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Reporting by Tom Elia, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

This story was originally published September 20, 2026 at 10:47 AM.