Michael Henley Ballard, 58, was last seen the morning of February 13, 2017, when he left home to go kayaking on the York River. He drove to the Gloucester Point Boat Ramp in Gloucester, Virginia, with a twelve-foot, forest-green, sit-in kayak; security footage shows him arriving with the kayak attached to his vehicle. He was expected home that evening and was reported missing by his wife the next morning.

Michael’s vehicle was left parked at the ramp, but there was no sign of him or the kayak. A coordinated search by the U.S. Coast Guard, Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia Marine Police, and the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries scoured 265 square nautical miles of the river by boat and air for more than 16 hours. The official search was suspended the evening of February 14, 2017, with agencies saying searches could resume if the kayak turned up. The prevailing theory is accidental drowning, but no physical evidence has been recovered and the case remains unresolved.

If anyone was on the York River near Gloucester Point on February 13, 2017, or saw a twelve-foot forest-green sit-in kayak, please share what was seen or contact investigators.