The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search on Wednesday night for the Wilmington man last seen swimming on Tuesday, June 26 off the coast of Wrightsville Beach.
On Wednesday, members of Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue monitored the shoreline while the Coast Guard searched for 58-year-old Charles Kuebler as part of an offshore search that included the Cutter Nantucket, a 45-foot response boat from Station Wrightsville Beach and a helicopter from Station Elizabeth City.
Kuebler was seen entering the water near the Carolina Yacht Club between 9-9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Wrightsville Beach Fire Chief Glen Rogers said, but he was not reported missing until about 5:15 p.m., after family members started an early-afternoon search when he didn’t return as expected. A bag of items believed to be his was found near the yacht club and the man’s car was found parked at Roberts Grocery, where his family said he often parked when visiting the beach.
Kuebler, a business development consultant, was a candidate for the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners in 2014. He is active in several local sports organizations, including the First Tee, Laney Athletic Boosters and Wilmington Post 10 baseball team. The team posted on Facebook asking for thoughts and prayers for Kuebler, the father of a player on the team.
Two police vehicles, a truck from the fire department and Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue searched the entire island’s beach strand over the course of the next three hours on Tuesday, Rogers said, with the search being suspended once the light faded.
Kuebler routinely comes to the beach and was expected by his family earlier in the day, Rogers said, noting that he was not believed to be a strong swimmer.
Drowning victims can sometimes be underwater for several days before surfacing, Rogers said, and if they remain buoyant, the current can carry them for several miles, noting that Figure Eight Island and Topsail Beach were requested to make their own searches of the shoreline.
Oh my goodness, though Chuck and I had major disagreement about the proposed baseball stadium, I know he did his best to involve himself in Wilmington political life. I am sad for his family at this time. My daughter Jennifer “saved the life” of Carolina Yacht Club member Hugh Daughtry caught in a rip this past weekend (story in Lumina News). These rips are deadly, and especially bad in front of CYC.