JUPITER, FL — A multi-agency search is underway off Jupiter Beach after a 48-year-old paddleboarder disappeared about four miles from shore, according to Coast Guard Sector Miami. Matt Pawlowski was last seen Monday around 9 a.m. heading east into the Atlantic on a 14-foot lime-green and yellow paddleboard.
Crews from the Coast Guard and partner agencies began looking for him after he did not return. Searchers have been working through the night and into the day, using surface vessels and aircraft to cover the area around his last known position.
Crews track drift patterns and likely routes in the Atlantic
Search teams have been using drift patterns, last-known coordinates and likely travel routes to guide the operation, Coast Guard officials said. The effort is aimed at narrowing where Pawlowski may have drifted after he was last observed offshore.
Air and water assets are being used together as the search continues. That combination gives rescuers a wider view of the ocean area and allows them to check both the surface and broader search zones surrounding Jupiter Beach.
Officials have not said how long Pawlowski was expected to remain out on the water or whether he had planned a specific return time. The focus remains on locating him as quickly as possible.
What Pawlowski was wearing when he disappeared
Searchers said Pawlowski was wearing a white hat, orange shirt and gray shorts when he was last seen. That description has been shared as crews continue to ask boaters and anyone near the area to watch for signs of him or his board.
The paddleboard itself is described as 14 feet long and lime-green and yellow, which may help people on the water identify it. Coast Guard Sector Miami is the contact point for tips from anyone who may have seen Pawlowski or equipment matching that description.
The search area remains centered on the waters off Jupiter Beach, where the paddleboarder was last known to be heading east. Officials have not said whether any new sightings have been reported.
Florida Fish and Wildlife officers join the Coast Guard operation
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers are assisting the Coast Guard in the search, adding another agency to the response. Their support is part of the broader effort to sweep nearby waters and improve coverage of the search zone.
Officials said rescuers continue deploying both air and water teams around the area. The combined operation is intended to keep expanding the search while conditions and resources allow, with crews focusing on the ocean around Pawlowski’s last known location.
The involvement of multiple agencies reflects the scale of the effort offshore. With the paddleboarder still missing, searchers are relying on coordinated coverage from several types of crews.
Officials have not said what may have gone wrong offshore
Authorities have not said what caused Pawlowski to go missing. They also have not said whether he had any emergency communications gear on board, leaving key questions unanswered as the search continues.
That means investigators and rescue crews are still working with limited information beyond his clothing, board description and last confirmed direction of travel. For now, the known details point to a man who headed east from shore and never made it back.
Coast Guard Sector Miami has not released any additional details about possible distress signals or equipment that might have helped locate him sooner.
How the public can help and where tips should go
Anyone with information that could help locate Pawlowski is asked to call Coast Guard Sector Miami at 305-535-4472. Officials are asking anyone who may have seen a paddleboard, a person in the water or other relevant activity in the area to share what they know.
The search remains active, and crews are continuing to examine the surrounding waters off Jupiter Beach. Until there is a confirmed location, the operation is centered on collecting useful sightings and expanding the search pattern as needed.
Coast Guard Sector Miami provided the details on the missing-person effort, including Pawlowski’s description and the request for public assistance.
