Coast Guard suspends search for Andy Teuber and helicopter

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The Coast Guard has called off the search for missing helicopter pilot Andy Teuber after his helicopter went missing near Kodiak Tuesday afternoon.

Rescue boats and air crews spent more than 13 hours searching for Teuber and the missing helicopter, covering around 888 square nautical miles during the search.

Tuesday night, the Coast Guard reported they had found debris during the search, including a float from a helicopter near Ushagat Island. However, a spokesperson said they could not confirm if the debris was from Teuber’s helicopter.

In an update Wednesday, the Coast Guard said the debris was “consistent with debris that would have been found on the overdue helicopter.”

The debris was found around two nautical miles southwest of the uninhabited Barren Islands.

“After an extensive search with our available assets resulting in inconclusive findings, it’s with a heavy heart that we have to suspend this search pending any new information,” said Cmdr. Matthew Hobbie, search and rescue mission coordinator, Coast Guard Sector Anchorage. “I offer my deepest condolences to those affected by this incident.”

Teuber’s helicopter, a black and white Robinson R66, took off from Merrill Field Airport just after 2 p.m. Tuesday. A family member told the Coast Guard he was bound for Kodiak.

Teuber had recently resigned as the head of the state’s largest Native tribal health organization, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

His last known location was about 66 miles northeast of Kodiak, according to a release. The Coast Guard immediately issued an urgent marine information broadcast and directed aircrews to the area.

Weather reports out of Kodiak showed winds up to 10 mph from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday. Visibility was 10 miles with broken, scattered clouds.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sector Anchorage Command Center at (907) 428-4100.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for details.

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