The U.S. Coast Guard continues to search for a missing fisherman off the North County coastline in California who was reported missing late Monday afternoon.
Loren James Ruden, a 52-year-old resident of Oceanside, California, is married and a father of three adult children. Ruden was known to be an experienced boater and fisherman and had gone out for a joyride Monday on his 21-foot-boat called “Lucky Dog”.
Late Monday afternoon, his dog, who was onboard with him, swam to shore from an unkown location and was found by a family. They contacted Ruden’s wife from the contact information on the dog’s collar, who was shocked to hear that the dog was found on shore without her husband.
According to ABC 10 News, Ruden’s boat was found unoccupied with the engine still turned on, floating off the coast of La Jolla just before 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Ruden’s sister, Angie Richards, pleads for help from the community as the U.S. Coast Guard, helicopters, and volunteer boaters are on the third day of their search for the missing man Wednesday.
“He’s been on the water almost 48 hours now. We just need help. If you have a boat, or some type of watercraft please, please get in the water and help,” Richards said, NBC San Diego reports. “I’m just begging San Diego to get out in the water. I need people to get on the water to help my brother, to help find him, and adopt him. Pretend he’s part of your family, go out and look for him. If we all work together, we can get him home.”