Man still missing 2 weeks after empty boat washed ashore in Newport Beach

A 47-year-old man whose empty boat washed ashore in Newport Beach nearly two weeks ago is still missing, although he has not been declared dead.

Orange County Sheriff’s Department officials have said they don’t consider Nicholas Busick’s disappearance suspicious, but what happened to him while he was sailing his 17-foot Boston Whaler on April 22 remains a mystery.

Busick rode his bicycle to a dock in Newport Harbor where his boat was kept and took the vessel out at about 1 p.m., authorities said.

Busick, a father and husband, told his family he was going for a short ride, which was not unusual, said Carrie Braun, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Department.

But shortly before 6 p.m., the boat washed up on the beach near 48th Street, still running, with no one aboard.

The Coast Guard, Sheriff’s Department and local lifeguards searched 186 square nautical miles by helicopter and boat for about 19 hours, authorities said.

The Coast Guard suspended its search April 23, but the Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol said it would continue to look for Busick as part of regular patrols.

There has been no trace of him, Braun said.

Busick’s city of residence has not been released, and his family has made no public comment.

Busick has not been declared legally dead, according to court records. The process to declare a missing person dead is handled through probate court and can take years, according to California law.

Busick is described as about 6 feet tall and 175 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair. He was wearing a dark T-shirt and gray shorts.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Coast Guard at (310) 521-3801.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN