EDGARTOWN, Mass. — The search for a missing 21-year-old man who jumped from the “Jaws” bridge on Martha’s Vineyard over the weekend resumed Wednesday morning after it was suspended Tuesday afternoon due to dangerous water conditions.
Tavaughn Bulgin jumped off the bridge with his 26-year-old brother and two other people late Sunday night, according to Massachusetts State Police.
Bulgin and his brother never resurfaced after the jump, but the two other people they were with made it to shore, the Coast Guard said.
The body of Bulgin’s brother was pulled from the water around 9 a.m. Monday. Crews spent the rest of the day looking for Bulgin in the area of the American Legion Memorial Bridge before temporarily suspending the search.
Troopers returned to the site Tuesday morning with Environmental Police Officers and continued the search using a sidescan sonar on the land side of the American Legion Memorial Bridge. The sonar devices use sound waves to detect objects or anomalies in the water column or on the ocean floor.
Search crews on Wednesday plan to scour the shoreline on ATVs and conduct aerial surveillance with an Air Wing. State police noted that weather conditions will prevent dive operations from taking place.
The two brothers were seasonal restaurant workers on the island, according to state police. Investigators believe they were renting a residence in Oak Bluffs.
A gofundme was started for the family of these young men.
The American Legion Memorial Bridge, known for its appearance in the iconic 1975 thriller directed by Steven Spielberg, is located on Beach Road. It connects Edgartown and Oak Bluffs.
A young man who confused the Little Bridge with the Jaws Bridge and jumped into the water in Aug. 2020 had to be airlifted to the hospital after suffering a serious neck injury, the Martha’s Vineyard Times reported. Authorities told the news outlet that the man thought he was jumping from a section of the bridge that spans a deeper channel.
Rescue teams were spotted conducting emergency safety training in the water near the bridge in June.
There were no additional details immediately available.
An investigation remains ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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