Fishing gear recovered, men still missing
YACHATS, Ore. -- Fishing gear belonging to two missing men has been recovered along the Oregon Coast, and search crews are concentrating on a 2-mile area on the ground and from the air.
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew searched at first light Thursday for 62-year-old Bill Bodewig of Yachats and 23-year-old Nick Lutz of Florence.
The Coast Guard says searchers have found a fishing pole, two backpacks and a vehicle that belonged to one of the men.
Bodewig was last seen wearing blue jeans and a black jacket; Lutz wore a camouflage jacket and hip waders.
The two men were reported overdue from a fishing trip on the rocks along the Oregon Coast Wednesday night at 10:15 p.m. Weather conditions overnight were very stormy, with high winds and surf making beach access to that portion of the coast difficult.
The Lane County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Coast Guard located a vehicle belonging to one of the missing men. Ground crews spotted gear belonging to the men, which was recovered with the assistance of a rescue swimmer.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
