Boat Burns, Owner Missing

November 19, 2009—

The U.S. Coast Guard has halted a search for a local man who may have been aboard his boat that was found burning off the coast on Tuesday.

Michael Martinez, 53, is a real estate agent at Coldwell Banker in Calabasas and the owner of the Casey Lynn, a 27-foot cruiser.

The boat was seen Tuesday leaving Marina del Ray, where it may have been berthed. Around 4:45 p.m., the Coast Guard received calls that a vessel was on fire about a mile offshore, west of the Venice Beach Pier. Early reports stated that two people may have been aboard.

A witness said he heard an explosion and saw flames shooting into the air.

Firefighters and lifeguards arrived at the scene and extinguished the flames, but saw no people. A Coast Guard helicopter and boat joined the search, but found nothing.

“Right now, all we have is a burned boat,” said L.A. Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore. “Our job is to determine the origin of the fire.”

“[His colleagues] are hoping he is found safe and sound,” said Leeza Hoyt of Coldwell Banker, where Martinez has worked for nine years. “He was very well respected.”