Coast Guard finds one kayaker dead, suspends search for missing man near Provincetown

PROVINCETOWN, Mass. — Coast Guard officials suspended a nearly 16-hour search for a missing kayaker off the Provincetown coast on Saturday afternoon after one woman’s body was found earlier in the day.

Officials were notified Friday around 11 p.m. of a missing kayaker, 50-year-old Carol Madru. They said they found an unresponsive body matching her description Saturday around 6:30 a.m. on the eastern shore of Provincetown Harbor in north Truro.

Madru, a Cape Cod nurse, was reportedly last seen with Marc-Oliver Czarnecki, 51. Crews had been searching for him until they called it off at 3:40 p.m. Saturday, according to a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard.

“I think we’re all just shell-shocked. She was just such an important part of our community. She’s going to be sorely missed,” said Jami Carder, Madru’s coworker at Cape Cod Healthcare.

“It’s just a tragedy. It’s almost like you can’t put words on something like this.”

Related: Coast Guard launches new safety tool to help in search and rescues

The Coast Guard said they searched roughly 180 square miles.

"It might be a beautiful sunny day, but you don’t know what it’s like below the surface,” said Petty Officer Briana Carter of the U.S. Coast Guard Northeast.

“The water is still incredibly cold so, I don’t know what happened out on the water but if they fell in, if they were not wearing lifejackets, they would have gone under very quickly,” Carter said.

She said it would have been difficult for them to get back in their kayak if they went for a swim because the water is still around 50 degrees.

A lifejacket was found on the shore near where Madru’s body was found, while another was seen in an empty kayak, Boston 25 News learned. Officials believe it’s likely that the pair had lifejackets with them, but it is unclear if they were wearing them while they were kayaking.

Coast Guard officials stress the importance to always wear lifejackets, dress warmly for cold water temperatures, and to let someone know when you’re going out and when you’re expected to return if you’re venturing out on the water.

Carder said that Madru was a mother of two living in Hyannis working for the Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod. She was originally from France.

“One of those people that whenever they walk into the room, you’re like, “Oh hey, Carole!” And you just smile because that’s just who she was,” Carder said.

If you have any information regarding the missing kayaker, call (508) 457-3211.

A GoFundMe page for Madru’s family was organized by Karen Foss, who wrote, “Carole was a loving spouse, joyful mother, and amazing nurse; she was always ready to lend a hand and put others first.”

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