A boat captain from National Geographic's "Wicked Tuna" television show died in an accident off the coast of North Carolina, according to officials. A second man is missing. 


What You Need To Know

  • Charlie Griffin, boat captain from National Geographic's Wicked Tuna television show, died in a boating accident off the N.C. coast Tuesday

  • A second man, 35-year-old Chad Dunn, is still missing

  • Griffin and Dunn were headed from Virginia Beach to Pirate's Cove in Manteo for repairs at the time of the accident

  • North Carolina Fish and Wildlife is investigating

The U.S. Coast Guard said they found 65-year-old captain Charlie Griffin and his dog dead off the coast of Oregon Inlet just after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. A second boater, 35-year-old Chad Dunn, is still missing. 

"It is with the deepest sadness we report that Charlie Griffin and his beloved dog, Leila, have passed away in a boating accident," Reels of Fortune Wicked Tuna posted on Facebook.

Griffin and Dunn were headed from Virginia Beach to Pirate's Cove in Manteo for repairs, but Coast Guard officials received a report around 11:35 p.m. Sunday that the men never arrived. Visibility was a little over half a mile, with seas at 4-6 feet and wind 10-15 knots at the time.

Multiple agencies assisted in the search for Griffin and Dunn.

"We searched for 41 hours, conducted 12 search patterns, and covered approximately 400 miles by air, sea and on shore with our local partners to find Chad and bring him home,” said Coast Guard Commander Corrie Sergent. “No two cases are ever the same. It is one of the hardest decisions to call off a search, and we offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this tragic event.” 

North Carolina Fish and Wildlife is investigating. 

National Geographic describes Wicked Tuna as a show that follows a group of fishermen from Gloucester, Massachusetts as they make their living fishing, one catch at a time – all in pursuit of the bluefin tuna.