UPDATED: 4:05 p.m.
The Coast Guard received a call around 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day that a kitesurfer was in distress. Ocean City police said a black-and-white "Ocean Rodeo Cypher 10" kite was found in the water, but there was no sign of the board or the surfer.
"One of our station watchstanders received a 911 call notifying them that a kitesurfer had been seen separated from his board and had drifted out to sea," said Coast Guard Petty Officer Edward Wargo.
Wargo said the surfer was last seen about 500 yards off of Corson's Inlet.
While lifeboats and helicopters searched the water, Petty Officer 1st Class Alex Castonguay said the missing kitesurfer was already on dry land.
"He had equipment malfunctions. He ended up cutting his kite off and swimming to shore with the board portion. And then he woke up this morning to a lot of text messages — people asking if he was the one involved in the case. And he called up," said Castonguay.
Castonguay advises those involved in water sports not only to put their names on their kite boards and other equipment, but to notify authorities if a similar mishap occurs, as to prevent an unnecessary search.