No confirmed sightings of Kotowski as Hilton Head missing persons case enters second week
The third week of August in Hilton Head is usually a welcomed respite for vacationing families, but last Friday it turned into a nightmare for family and friends of Stanley Kotowski.
It has been one week since he walked away barefoot and phoneless from his condo in Sea Pines during a family vacation. The search has been led by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and has been conducted by land, air, and water. Additional on-foot searches in wooded areas and helicopter searches over waterways have also been conducted.
Today and over the weekend, the search continues.
Kotowski, 60, was seen leaving the family’s vacation rental on South Sea Pines Drive around 9:45 a.m. Despite internet rumors, there have not been any confirmed sightings of Kotowski since then, according to Master Sgt. Danny Allen of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. The office is currently collecting and reviewing video from businesses in the area for any signs of Kotowski, Allen said.
Yesterday, the Coast Guard and the Department of Natural Resources conducted searches by helicopter and boat for the missing man. The search units did not find any signs of Kotowski during those searches, according to Allen.
The sheriff’s office has confirmed the following:
- TSA advises no one under the name of Stanley Kotowski has departed from the local airports since his disappearance.
- There are not any John Does receiving treatment in the local hospitals.
- There have not been any reported boat or vehicle thefts on the island. The sheriff’s office has checked marinas to ensure all of the boats have been accounted for, and that any unoccupied boats have been searched.
The south end of Hilton Head continues to be the focus area for the sheriff department’s search, Allen said. They plan on deploying a helicopter again to keep an eye on waterways and continuing all other search methods over the next few days.
Kotowski’s wife, Jackie, asked via social media that every Hilton Head resident and business owner check security cameras on their property over the last seven days, and any days that follow, for signs of her husband. She also asks that owners of vacant units grant the sheriff’s office access so that they can be searched.
Her final plea is that anyone who comes into contact with her husband should remind him that his wife and sons are still here and they will continue to search for him.
This story was originally published August 23, 2024 at 12:30 PM.
