The Havre de Grace community is gathering in prayer Sunday as the search for 18-year-old Mark Everett Coates III enters its fourth day on the Susquehanna River.
A prayer circle is set for 3 p.m. at David Craig Park, 599 N. Union Avenue — just steps from the bridge and the boat ramp where Coates launched his small aluminum jon boat last Wednesday. Pastor Jonathon Flosser of Bethel Church will lead the gathering.
Those interested in joining the prayer circle can meet at David Craig Park, 599 N. Union Avenue, near the bridge and boat ramp.
Meals and Lodging Provided for Family and First Responders
The community support has extended well beyond Sunday’s prayer circle.
The owners of Kooper’s Saloon are bringing lunch at noon Sunday for the Coates family, first responders, and U.S. Coast Guard personnel working the search.
Two local hotels have also stepped in. The Vandiver Inn has offered rooms for immediate family members so they can stay closer to the river, and the Hilton in Aberdeen is providing additional accommodations for the family. Coates’ mother has been resting in an RV that was provided for the family earlier in the search.
Throughout the week, community members have been arriving at the scene with food, drinks, blankets, hot chocolate, and hand and foot warmers for both the family and the crews searching the water.
What Searchers Have Been Doing
Coates was last seen Wednesday around 5 p.m. near the Hatem Memorial Bridge on US 40. He had launched a 10-foot aluminum jon boat from the Water Street Boat Ramp in Havre de Grace. His overturned boat was found Thursday morning near Garrett Island.
Search crews have been working the stretch of the Susquehanna River between the Tydings Memorial Bridge on I-95 and the Amtrak Bridge. That section of the river is restricted to law enforcement and emergency personnel only. Dive teams searched underwater Saturday, and crews used sonar to sweep the marinas. Aircraft have also been part of the effort throughout the search.
High winds have made conditions on the water dangerous, and only law enforcement is permitted to fly drones in the search area.
Coates was last seen wearing a chartreuse long-sleeved t-shirt and blue jeans.
Parking and Access Guidance for Sunday
With a large community turnout expected Sunday, organizers are asking attendees to follow specific parking instructions to keep the search operation moving without interruption.
Drivers should not travel down Water Street looking for parking, and the Water Street Seafood parking lot is off limits. Public parking is available at the Star Centre, located across from the Havre de Grace Police Department. The Tide, a free electric trolley, has stops at both the Star Centre and at David Craig Park.
How to Help
Anyone with information about Coates’ whereabouts is asked to call Maryland Natural Resources Police at (410) 260-8888.
Trending stories loading…