This article has been updated with new information from the U.S. Coast Guard.
OCEAN CITY, Md. — The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for missing Ocean Pines resident Daniel Potter after crews spent about 20 hours searching an area of more than 2,500 square nautical miles off the Maryland coast.
The search was suspended Friday afternoon pending further information, according to the Coast Guard.
After the search ended, the Coast Guard Cutter Pompano took Potter's vessel in tow and began returning it to shore. The tow was transferred Friday night to a crew from Coast Guard Station Indian River, which brought the boat to the station. Friends of Potter's family later recovered the vessel Saturday afternoon.
The search began after Potter's 25-foot boat was found offshore with no one aboard. Coast Guard crews located the vessel off the coast of Ocean City after receiving a request for assistance from the Worcester County Sheriff's Office.
49-year-old Potter was reported missing after he was last seen June 10. The sheriff's office said it notified the Coast Guard on June 11 after receiving information that Potter had made concerning statements to family members. Authorities also said Potter did not have his cellphone and was considered critically missing.
Investigators said Potter's boat had last been seen docked at Sunset Marina in West Ocean City before it was discovered offshore.
The search involved air and surface crews from Coast Guard Station Ocean City, Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, Coast Guard Sector Virginia, Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region, Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay and Coast Guard East District.

