Suspended Highlands Clammer Search Resumes Under State Police

The Coast Guard Sunday night advised that the "case" of the missing Highlands clammer had been suspended for the evening under their purview. It resumed today by air and water under the authority of the NJ State Police.  

As of Sunday night both the Coast Guard and state police were searching the Highlands area for a clammer who never showed up at a restaurant to meet a friend on Saturday night, the Coast Guard said on Sunday afternoon.

Coast Guard from several different stations in New Jersey and New York City were searching for Edward Broderick, who had not been heard from since 6 p.m. Saturday, and whose boat was found submerged at a marina where he had told a friend he intended to dock, said Ali Flockerzi, Petty Officer Third Class for the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard was alerted that a boater was missing when Ray Phillips called the Coast Guard station in Staten Island, NY, at about 10 p.m. on Saturday, reporting that his friend, Broderick, had never met him at a restaurant as they had planned, Flockerzi said.

Broderick had been en route to a the clam depuration plant in Highlands, Phillips told the Coast Guard, Flockerzi said.

Broderick was last seen wearing green or gray sweat pants, she said.

Coast Guard vessels from New York and Sandy Hook and a Coast Guard helicopter from Atlantic City, as well as a state police, have been searching for Broderick for more than 14 hours in the Highlands area and along the shore line, Flockerzi said shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday.

A state police sonar and dive team has been searching the submerged vessel since about 3:40 p.m. Sunday, Flockerzi said.

New Jersey State Police spokesman Sgt. Adam Grossman said a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter found a 25-foot clam boat submerged this morning, according to an article on nj.com. He said officials started searching the Shrewsbury River near Highlands and the area around Captain's Cove Marina.