RedactedNarrative: On September 26, 2021 at approximately 1910hours KENTCOM reported on Rehoboth Bay, off of Conquest Road, there was a white boat with a white top stuck in the marsh with the engine running and electronics still on, with no persons onboard. RP and her neighbor found and reported the boat's location. RP was the wife of the boat operator Operator and went searching for him after he did not answer phone calls/text messages while he was crabbing alone on the Rehoboth Bay. RP stated her husband/boat operator was last seen wearing grey long sleeve shirt and grey cargo pants.
  
  At approximately 1920hours I went underway MP-November on Rehoboth Bay and responded to the area of the stuck boat. Once on scene I conducted a brief field interview with RP while she was on her pontoon boat with a neighbor. RP stated Operator operated his boat at approximately 0900hours from Hopkins Prong (off of Herring Creek) where he had it docked, to the Love Creek area to begin crabbing with approximately 20-30 pull traps. RP stated that she received a phone call from Operator at approximately 1200hours that he had gotten his propeller stuck in his crab trap lines and needed tools delivered to him. RP stated that her and her neighbor then went to him via pontoon boat (also from Hopkins Prong) at approximately 1230hours. They delivered the tools he requested and he made the necessary repairs. RP stated operator seemed fine at the time and she and her neighbor returned home. 1230hours was the last known time RP had heard from her husband/boat operator.
  
  At approximately 2114hours United States Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City CG-6560 reported a person floating in Love Creek. United States Coast Guard Station Indian River CG-24517 recovered the person floating at the following location (38-40.2N / 075-06.4W). The person was reported as a white
  male wearing a grey sweatshirt. CG-24517 began CPR and transported to Massey's Landing where paramedics pronounced him dead and identified as the missing boat operator. Delaware State Police made notification to his next of kin.
  
  At approximately 2120hours, while operating MP-November I inspected and photographed the boat at the marsh. The operators phone, keys and wallet were all on the console with the chart plotter and battery left on. The motor was in neutral and centered but shut off by fire department. Crabbing equipment, a
  basket of some live crabs, and a cooler of drinks (no alcohol) were on the deck.
  
  On September 27, 2021 at approximately 1425hours myself and M/Cpl took pictures of Operator's boat while in Sussex County Office evidence. While documenting the condition of the vessel I noted a loose line with an orange float on the back deck that was most likely attached to a crab trap but cut, like RP indicated in a field interview about Operator accidentally wrapping his propeller in a crab trap line and requesting tools. Also noted was a boat pole with an affixed hook on the end was secured inside a gunnel of the boat, which could indicate Operator was not using a pole to reach his crab traps and leaning over the side of the boat using his arms/hands instead.
  
  The Garmin GPS had an active track-line recording during the suspected time Operator was crabbing up until the boat was found. There was a track-line that was consistent with someone crabbing at the mouth of Love Creek. The track-line showed the boat operating in circles common when people attempt to pull traps and miss their window of opportunity for reaching them and have to correct themselves and also placing them back in the water after crabs have been kept to keep them orderly and away from the motors propeller. 
  
  It was noted that according to the Garmin GPS on "26-Sep., 02:23PM" the track-line stopped its normal pattern and began drifting as though nobody was steering or engaging the throttle. The Latitude and Longitude for when the drift began reads, "N 38 40.836', W075 07.501' ". The GPS track-line indicated a drift to the same location where the boat was found by RP and by first responders in a South-East direction which was consistent with the outgoing tide that afternoon predicted as 6:21PM low tide and an approximated WSW wind direction at 18.1MPH. The Latitude and Longitude for when the drift stopped reads, "N 38 38.757', W075 04.887' " and date reads, "26-Sep., 04:47PM".
  
  
  The Medical Examiner's Office claims cause of death was accidental drowning
  