Navy searches for civilian worker missing from San Clemente Island

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A sign warns visitors of the dangers involved when entering the seaside hills of San Clemente Island, where North America’s rarest bird calls home Wednesday, July 17, 2013. In the decade since the Navy left the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, bombardments and live-fire trainings have grown exponentially on this windswept California island , which has special federal status because of its biological diversity. Since then, endangered species like the island fox, night lizard and loggerhead shrike have grown in number too, thriving alongside the blasts after nearing extinction. It’s a phenomenon happening at military installations across the nation where endangered species are flourishing despite the drills.(AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

SAN DIEGO – The Navy and Coast Guard are searching for a civilian employee from the military’s San Clemente Island off Southern California who has not been heard from since heading out to fish.

Navy spokesman Jon Nylander said Wednesday that a Coast Guard cutter and helicopter and one Navy helicopter were searching for the employee.

The Navy is not identifying him yet. Los Angeles County rescue crews are also participating in the search.

Nylander says the employee appears to have gone out fishing alone Tuesday night and was supposed to commute to work with another employee Wednesday morning but did not show up.

San Clemente Island is the Navy’s only ship-to-shore bombardment range. Nearly all military and civilian personnel do not live on the island but stay there while working.

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