Jan. 30, 2007 — A private salvage crew on Tuesday found the body of an American man missing after his boat collided with a ferry Sunday night.
Patrick Ostheimer, 35, was found dead in the capsized speedboat's cabin early Tuesday, said Coast Guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad.
The salvage team was removing the wrecked speedboat from a National Park mooring ball, where it had been stored since the accident, Castrodad said.
Coast Guard and National Parks rescue crews had searched for Ostheimer with boats and helicopters in the sea west of St. John, where the accident happened, Castrodad said.
The Coast Guard was investigating what caused the accident, he said.
Three other people were thrown from the 30-foot speedboat when it collided with the Native Son Express, a ferry capable of carrying more than 300 passengers.
One person aboard the speedboat was hospitalized for unspecified injuries, Castrodad said.
It was not immediately clear if the ferry had passengers aboard during the collision.
Ostheimer was from the U.S. mainland but had recently been living in Puerto Rico, Castrodad said.
Native Son officials declined to comment on the accident.
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