Chatham Authorities Identify Body Found On Coast Guard Boat
CHATHAM, MASS (CBS/AP) — The decomposed body found inside a closed compartment aboard a retired Coast Guard boat in Massachusetts has been identified as a man reported missing nine months ago.
The Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe said the remains were those of 24-year-old Matthew Amsler of Chatham. Authorities say the death does not appear suspicious.
The remains were found Sunday night at Coast Guard Station Chatham inside an airtight compartment on the boat.
The man's family said on Monday that the body was Amsler's.
Toni Runci, Amsler's cousin, updated a family GoFundMe page Monday by writing that Amsler was only seeking protection from a storm.
"It saddens me to share that today we found Matthew. He was located this morning in Chatham. He had crawled into an airtight space on a boat for shelter from a recent storm, and fell peacefully asleep and ran out of oxygen. This, of course, was not the ending we wished or hoped for," wrote Runci.
The 44-foot motor lifeboat was on display on the Coast Guard station's lawn.
That boat was retired in 2009 after 46 years of service.
Amsler's family reported him missing back on Oct. 28 and he was last seen the day before at a nearby beach. Amsler was married and had a 2-year-old daughter.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)