The person at the center of this case
Harold Jeffrey Mays
Missing Person · Open - Unsolved
45 years waiting · since 1980
Missing Person: Harold Jeffrey Mays
Justice for Harold Jeffrey Mays — the trail went cold in 1980, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🔍
evidence
Lead #1Why was no debris, wreckage, or bodies ever recovered despite an extensive 104,000 square-mile search?
👤
person
Lead #2What happened to Ted Wall, Mays' companion on the boat? Was he also lost at sea?
🚗
vehicle
Lead #3Could the 23' Sea Ox boat have sunk intact, or was it salvaged or destroyed by unknown parties?
Harold Jeffrey Mays, a 21-year-old fisherman, disappeared on November 13, 1980, while aboard a 23-foot Sea Ox boat approximately 16 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, when the vessel's outboard engine failed. His companion Ted Wall, age 22, was also aboard. Despite an extensive U.S. Coast Guard search covering 104,000 square miles with 47 aircraft sorties and 10 surface units, no trace of the boat, crew, or debris has ever been found in over four decades.
Case
#2431
United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, District 5
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
💡
clue
Lead #4Was the engine freeze plug failure mechanical accident or deliberate sabotage?
📞
contact
Lead #5Were there any witnesses on other vessels in the area on November 13, 1980?
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Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP14742. Missing person: Harold Jeffrey Mays.
Last known contact: 1980-11-13 in Cape Hatteras, Dare, NC. Circumstances: Missing at sea aboard a 23' Sea Ox fiberglass boat.
Was last known/seen alive on his boat during a fishing trip in or near the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean out 16 miles southeast from the inlet off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on 11-13-80 at 1:30 PM. Allegedly experienced outboard engine problems with the engine "freeze plug".
Mays, aged 21 was in the company of another young man named Ted Wall, age 22. Possibly a boating accident or may be related to foul play.
US Coast Guard coordinated efforts of search of 104,000 square miles of ocean involving 47 aircraft sorties and 10 surface units. No trace of vessel, crew or debris found during search or in subsequent 3+ decades.
Companion case to NamUs MP14851. Demographics: 21 years, Male, White / Caucasian.
Physical description: 5 ft 10 in, 175 lbs, hair: Brown, eyes: Hazel. Clothing and accessories: Clothing: Would have been dressed for off-shore ocean fishing in November.
Likely layered clothing and foul weather maritime style gear.; Jewelry: For purposes of documenting negative pertinents, never wore jewelry of any kind.. Investigating agency: United States Coast Guard Investigative Service | District 5 Case 0093 - 13 | 1980-11-13.
Timeline of Events
👁️
1980-11-13
13:30Last Known Contact
Harold Jeffrey Mays and Ted Wall last seen aboard 23' Sea Ox fiberglass boat in Gulf Stream, approximately 16 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras inlet. Vessel experienced outboard engine problems with freeze plug failure.
👤
1980-11-13
Disappearance
Mays and Wall disappeared at sea. Circumstances unclear—possible boating accident or foul play.
🕵️
1980-11-13
Coast Guard Search Initiated
U.S. Coast Guard coordinated extensive search of 104,000 square miles involving 47 aircraft sorties and 10 surface units. No vessel, crew, or debris recovered.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:November 13, 1980 at 1:30 PM
Last Updated:September 28, 2026
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Phone: 2023723000
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Case Information
Incident:November 13, 1980 at 1:30 PM
Last Updated:September 28, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 2023723000
You can remain anonymous