Galveston Co. officials search for missing boater

GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- The search continues for a missing fisherman whose boat was found empty near Crystal Beach off the Bolivar Peninsula Monday afternoon.

Texas Equuasearch has now joined the crews looking for Terry Millender, 54.

"It is assumed that Terry drowned following some type of mishap on his boat," stated Frank Black with Equuasearch in a statement.

Millender's fishing boat was spotted driving itself in circles not far from shore. Officials say live crabs and crabpots were found inside the boat, a sign that the father had not been missing long.

"We don't know exactly what happened and we won't know for some time. In the meantime we're going to continue to search a six mile stretch of intracoastal waterways," said Officer Patrick Kelley, U.S. Costal Guard. "The coast guard has been in contact with the family and they are handling this in their own way and we don't want to intrude."