Search Ends For Worker Who Fell From Ambassador Bridge

January 11, 2012 8:00 PM

Ambassador Bridge (WWJ Photo, File)

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Local, News, Radio.com - News, Syndicated Local, Syndication

DETROIT (WWJ)- Coast Guard search crews ended their search Wednesday evening for a Garden City man who fell into the Detroit River from the Ambassador Bridge in downtown Detroit.

The missing man is 27-year old Kent Morton. He was part of a crew doing paint and welding work on the center span of the bridge when he fell about 1:45 p.m.

“The decision to suspend an active search and rescue case is the most difficult decision that our operators face,” said Chief Petty Officer Gabriel Settel, command center supervisor, Coast Guard Sector Detroit, in a statement. “Our thoughts go out to Mr. Morton’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.”

In all, crews scoured a combined search area of nearly 300 square nautical miles of the Detroit River. Morton’s family has been in constant contact with the Detroit Police Department, who have been providing updates on the status of the search.

A witness told WWJ Newsradio 950′s Stephanie Davis that Morton did surface after the fall and tried to swim.

Family members say Morton worked for Seaway Painting in Livonia. They also said his girlfriend was pregnant.

The state will conduct an investigation to determine what happened.

Talking with WWJ Newsradio 950 shortly after the search began, Settel described the rescue operation.

“We have a 45-foot rescue boat that’s on scene commencing the search and they normally have anywhere between five or seven crew members on board,” said Settel. “We also have a 65 helicopter, a dolphin helicopter, that’s conducting the search and they normally have four persons on board as well.”

A Detroit Police Department dive team had been called in to assist.

“We’re gonna basically get as many people as we can out there to conduct the search of this area,” Settel said.

Stay with WWJ and CBSDetroit.com for the latest.

Search Ends For Worker Who Fell From Ambassador Bridge

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/01/13/hundreds-gather-to-remember-man-who-fell-from-ambassador-bridge/ Hundreds Gather To Remember Man Who Fell From Ambassador Bridge « CBS Detroit

[...] out to reflect and share their memories of Kent Morton, the 27-year-old Garden City man who fell into the Detroit River while working on the Ambassador [...]
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/01/17/coast-guard-searching-for-body-near-grosse-isle/ Coast Guard Searching For Body Near Grosse Isle « CBS Detroit

[...] someone spotted what appeared to be a body in the water. This, almost a week after 28-year-old Ken Morton fell 150 feet from the Ambassador Bridge while doing maintenance work over the [...]
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/01/17/search-delayed-for-body-spotted-near-grosse-ile/ Search Delayed For Body Spotted Near Grosse Ile « CBS Detroit

[...] Grosse Ile called police on Monday to report seeing a body. That call came in just five days after 28-year-old Kent Morton fell from scaffolding into the river while doing maintenance work on the Ambassador [...]
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/03/21/medical-examiner-body-found-likely-not-missing-painter/ Medical Examiner: Body Found Likely Not Missing Painter « CBS Detroit

[...] Related tags ambassador bridge, body, Kent Morton, Search, U.S. Coast Guard, Wayne County Medical Examiner var addthis_product = 'wpp-261'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};if (typeof(addthis_share) == "undefined"){ addthis_share = {"templates":{"twitter":"{{title}} {{url}}"},"url_transforms":{"shorten":{"twitter":"bitly"}},"shorteners":{"bitly":{"login":"cbslocal","apiKey":"R_a42469be25a4cd114f9641fad362d038"}}};}DETROIT (WWJ) – Preliminary indications are that a body found in the Detroit River is not that of a painter who fell off the Ambassador Bridge. [...]
mike

a guy 30 yrds from us fishing today pulled up a body and it looks like its the guy that fell.
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/03/23/police-body-pulled-from-river-likely-missing-painted/ Police: Body Pulled From River Likely Missing Painted « CBS Detroit

[...] – A Detroit Police spokesperson says a body pulled from the Detroit River is likely that of a painter who fell off the Ambassador Bridge two months [...]
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/03/23/police-body-pulled-from-river-likely-missing-painter/ Police: Body Pulled From River Likely Missing Painter « CBS Detroit

[...] – A Detroit Police spokesperson says a body pulled from the Detroit River is likely that of a painter who fell off the Ambassador Bridge two months [...]
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/03/24/medical-examiner-identifies-body-as-missing-painter-kent-morton/ Medical Examiner Identifies Body As Missing Painter Kent Morton « CBS Detroit

[...] Crews searched for several days after the 27-year-old Garden City man fell while doing paint and welding work on the center span of the bridge on Jan. 11. [...]
http://www.miheadlines.com/2012/03/24/medical-examiner-identifies-body-missing-painter-kent-morton/ Medical Examiner Identifies Body As Missing Painter Kent Morton

[...] Crews searched for several days after the 27-year-old Garden City man fell while doing paint and welding work on the center span of the bridge on Jan. 11. [...]