Jul. 5—The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a man who went missing in Casco Bay around 8 p.m. on the Fourth of July.

Crews searched nearly 350 square miles for about 30 hours to find Edward Berke, 30, who went overboard a 20-foot cabin boat, according to a statement from Coast Guard Ensign Matthew Bartnick.

Berke was part of two couples who had visited Chebeague Island for dinner and were on a boat heading back to Spring Point Marina in South Portland when they turned around and realized Berke was no longer onboard, Portland Harbormaster Kevin Battle said in a phone interview Friday morning.

Battle said a man was driving the 20-foot cabin boat with two women who were sitting up front. When they passed the south point of Clapboard Island, they noticed Berke, who was sitting in the stern seat, was no longer on board.

He said conditions were calm in the area, but Berke was sitting in the back of the boat and there was occasional wake from boats headed to watch the Portland fireworks.

Bartnick, from the Coast Guard, said he did not know Berke’s hometown but his family is from Hampton, New Hampshire.

Captain Matt Baker, commander of the Northern New England Coast Guard Sector, offered condolences to the family in a statement Friday.

“We conduct every search and rescue mission with the hope of returning missing people to safety, which is why suspending any search and rescue effort is one of the hardest decisions I made,” Baker said. “We are grateful for the dedication of the state and local agencies who contributed to this search effort.”

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