PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – The search for a missing Norfolk man was suspended Monday morning, at least for now, by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Derrick Fluellen, 33, remains missing according to according to Lt. Michael Long, public affairs officer for USCG Sector Virginia, and said “USCG is actively investigating circumstances surrounding this event.”
Fluellen was last seen working on the “Atlantic Oceanic” about 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal according to Long.
The roughly 250 foot long vessel, owned by Atlantic Oceanic Group, has been used to help install Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project.
Fluellen was working as a contractor and was on fire watch during ship maintenance work, when he was last seen.
“When ships are getting work done and they’re doing what they describe as ‘hot work’, thinking it can cause like a spark or has an open flame, typically they’ll have a fire watch,” Long explained. “It could be grinding metal, they could be doing some welding work.”
While Long could not confirm that anyone ever saw Fluellen go into the water. “The Coast Guard is searching in the manner where we are making the assumption that they did fall overboard.”
The search began Saturday with a coast guard helicopter and response boat along with first responders from Portsmouth, Norfolk and Chesapeake.
Long said it could resume pending new information.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Atlantic Oceanic Group, said Dominion’s windfarm construction company, which would be Belgium-based DEME group, chartered the vessel.
“The vessel is alongside … and being demobilized by them and their subcontractors in Norfolk following a season of operations offshore,” Capt. Paul Crowther with Atlantic Oceanic Group, said. “We are aware of the concerns being raised by our charterers and their subcontractors on board, and of the search for an alleged missing person, but feel that as they are in control of the vessel and their contractors, it would be better for them to respond as they may have more information.”
Requests for comment from DEME group were not immediately returned.
10 On Your Side went to a neighborhood near Norfolk State University that was a listed address for Fluellen but no one answered the door there or at neighboring homes. Meanwhile authorities are checking with anyone who would have been the last to see Fluellen early Saturday afternoon.
The Coast Guard is asking anyone with information about Derrick Fluellen’s whereabouts to call its Sector Virginia Command Center at 757-638-6637.