Poway Fisherman’s Body Found, 2nd Crewman Sought

The body of a commercial fisherman from Poway was recovered from the ocean near San Clemente Island on Sunday by a Coast Guard helicopter from San Diego.

The Coast Guard plans to search the waters off San Clemente today for signs of wreckage from the Cindy Fay, a 40-foot boat which left San Pedro on Feb. 21 on a fishing trip and was reported overdue Saturday.

The boat was owned by Boyd Reeber of Poway, whose body was found by the Coast Guard at 10 a.m. Sunday, officials said.

One other crew member, identified as Frank Germano, was aboard the vessel, according to Robert Engel, a deputy San Diego County coroner. No address was available for Germano.

Reeber’s body was sighted at about 8:15 a.m. Sunday by a fishing vessel. The crew of that boat notified the Coast Guard, which dispatched a helicopter to the scene, about a half mile east of Mail Point on San Clemente Island. The island is about 55 miles northwest of San Diego.

The crew of the other fishing boat sighted debris in the area bearing the name Cindy Fay, according to Lt. Michael Self of the Coast Guard in San Diego. The Coast Guard recovered no debris, Self said.

Reeber’s wife contacted the Coast Guard Saturday, concerned because her husband hadn’t contacted her through the marine operator. He normally checked in every three days, officials said.

Following standard procedure, Self said that the Coast Guard broadcast the name of the boat and asked boat operators to report any sightings.

Self said Sunday that the Coast Guard plans to dispatch a helicopter to the area around San Clemente Island to check a report that wreckage was spotted along the rocky shore.

An autopsy on Reeber was scheduled today. An official of the coroner’s office said the likely cause of death was drowning.