Seven days after the U.S. Coast Guard suspended its multi-agency search for a missing shark tooth diver in the Port Royal Sound off the coast of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, authorities recovered his body.
49-year-old Alan Devier’s body was found near Bay Point Island on Sunday, according to a news release from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. Beaufort County Coroner Ed Allen identified his body.
Bay Point is located near St. Helena Island and just north of Hilton Head Island in Beaufort County.
Devier, 49, was an experienced shark tooth hunter and diver known for finding megalodon teeth in the Port Royal Sound, the body of water north of Hilton Head Island and south of Parris Island and Port Royal.
He went missing on April 28 while he was scuba diving, the sheriff’s office said Monday. Devier was from North Charleston.
Sources familiar with the situation tell us he went missing from the mouth of the Port Royal, closer to Hilton Head Island. The Port Royal Sound has been identified by scientists as a hotspot for several large shark populations — especially this time of the year.
At least 10 agencies using helicopters and boats have searched more than 7,589 square miles for more than 168 hours, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The following agencies were involved in the search:
- Coast Guard Air Station Savannah
- Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston
- Coast Guard Station Tybee Island
- Coast Guard Cutter Pompano
- Coast Guard Auxiliary
- Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office
- Beaufort County Marine Rescue Squadron
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
- Fripp Island Fire and Rescue
- Parris Island Fire and Emergency Services.
This was the second time this year Devier went missing. In March, two good Samaritans found Devier around the southern part of Parris Island after he was missing for a night, ABC News 4 reported.
A forensic autopsy will be conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina to determine Devier’s cause and manner of death, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said.
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