Calif. congresswomen's brother missing at sea (Loretta & Linda Sanchez)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: MSNBC/AP

LONG BEACH, Calif. - The brother of California U.S. Reps. Loretta and Linda Sanchez and his girlfriend were missing Friday after an apparent boating accident off the coast.

A debris field found in the ocean contained fragments from the boat Henry Sanchez was aboard with his girlfriend Penny Avila, the Sanchez sisters said in a statement issued in Washington, D.C.

"We pray and hope that Henry and Penny are found alive and well," the sisters wrote.

Henry Sanchez, 51, and Avila, 48, both of Santa Ana, left Alamitos Bay near Long Beach late Wednesday or early Thursday en route to Santa Catalina Island and never arrived, Coast Guard Ensign Stephanie Young said.

The debris was found by a passing boater about five miles south of the Los Angeles harbor entrance at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, she said. A search was called off at midday Friday after covering 300 square miles.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27013937/

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Doesn't sound good - but still hope they are found alive.

[cbayer]

1. They were on their way over to Catalina Island and were reportedly hit by a barge.

Local news says they were about five miles offshore. There is a lot of traffic in that area, including major shipping lanes. Very sad.

[MaineDem]

2. Oh no

I'm hoping for the best but it doesn't sound good.

[speedoo]

3. That's not a long trip, and presumably the weather was OK.

If debris from that boat was found, there was presumably either an explosion on the boat, or perhaps a collision with a much larger vessel.

Debris is very bad news.

[TomInTib]

5. When I read the word "debris", I figured it was lights-out for them.

In those high-traffic lanes, if they're not rescued right away, they will drown. Or get run over.

I bet they didn't last any time at all.

[John Q. Citizen]

8. The water is pretty warm, a 1/ 2 hour wouldn 't be unreasonable if they

weren't injured.

But a debris field leaves the scenario open.

[pinto]

4. Agggh. Hoping for a good outcome - it's still light here on the West Coast, lots of search & rescue

teams in the So Cal waterways.

[maddezmom]

6. I saw this earlier on MSNBC....doesn't look good

:(

[balantz]

7. delete