U.S. Reps. Loretta and Linda Sanchez brother missing

Missing boaters are congresswomen's brother, his girlfriend
Coast Guard continues its search off coast of San Pedro for Penny Avila of Santa Ana and Henry Sanchez, brother of U.S. Reps. Loretta and Linda Sanchez of California.
By Francisco Vara-Orta, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
1:27 PM PDT, October 4, 2008
U.S. Reps. Loretta and Linda Sanchez of California say their brother Henry and his girlfriend are the two boaters the U.S. Coast Guard is searching for today off the coast of San Pedro.

The sisters said in a statement that a debris field found off the coast contained fragments from the boat their brother was aboard with his girlfriend, Penny Avila.


"Our family is thankful of the search and rescue efforts by the U.S. Coast Guard and other local agencies," the congresswomen said in a statement. "We pray and hope that Henry and Penny are found alive and well."

The Coast Guard says Sanchez, 51, and Avila, 48, both of Santa Ana, left Alamitos Bay near Long Beach at midnight Wednesday en route to Santa Catalina Island and never arrived, said Ensign Stephanie Young of the Coast Guard station in San Pedro.
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