Search for teen kayaker called off, Friends & family still searching

TRINIDAD, Calif. (KIEM)-The search for 19-year-old Nicolas Brunner was suspended Saturday after Coast Guard boat and aircrews, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, and California State Parks, conducted extensive searches of Trinidad Bay covering a total area of 490-square miles and approximately 20 hours. 

Volunteers and rescue teams ascended on the beach near Trinidad Harbor to look for 19-year-old Nicholas Brunner who went out to sea Friday morning around 6 a.m. and hasn’t returned.

About 10-hours later after Brunner left, a kayak and life jacket — likely belonging to the man — washed up on the beach in the same area where the man left.

The missing man is described as a white male, 5-foot 7-inches tall, weighing roughly 130 pounds.

The Coast Guard and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office — along with other area agencies — were searching the shoreline Friday evening and Saturday morning.

According to Jae Wood, a family friend, the kayak was recovered with the chair broken off, she says Brunner’s kayak and life jacket were found on the same beach, opposite side and unzipped with his fishing license in it.

Wood says the search by the Del Norte Sheriff’s Office and the Coast Guard called off the search at about 12:30 Saturday afternoon.  

Brunner is still missing, Wood says she was told rescue had exhausted their resources available and Brunner is past the point of survival.

Their worry is that Brunner was not able to remove the waders he had on while out on his kayak.

Wood tells Redwood News despite officials calling off the search, civilians and divers are still searching.

Anyone with information about the missing teen is asked to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office.