A desperate search is underway for a Florida energy executive who vanished during a Monday morning paddleboarding trip off the Atlantic coast.
Matt Pawlowski, 48, was last seen around 9 a.m. Monday roughly four miles east of Jupiter Beach, where he had launched a 14-foot lime green and yellow paddleboard into the water. The U.S. Coast Guard launched an active search operation using both air and surface crews, deploying assets across the area in an effort to locate the missing executive.
The Coast Guard is coordinating its search around Pawlowski’s last-known position, analyzing drift patterns and possible routes the paddleboarder may have traveled. “He was reportedly wearing a white hat, orange shirt, and gray shorts,” the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement describing his appearance at the time he disappeared.
Pawlowski serves as Vice President – Head of Execution at NextEra Energy Transmission, according to his LinkedIn profile. Sources confirmed to local news affiliates that he is employed by the Juno Beach-based energy company, one of the largest electric utility holding firms in the United States.
His family reported him missing after he failed to return from the paddleboarding excursion, triggering the multi-agency response now covering waters off Palm Beach County. The timing of his disappearance during a morning outing suggests conditions may have shifted unexpectedly, though authorities have not publicly speculated on a cause.
The search operation reflects the challenges of open-water rescues along Florida’s eastern coastline, where currents and weather patterns can complicate location efforts even with modern tracking and aerial surveillance. Coast Guard crews continued working through the day to narrow the search window based on environmental data.
Paddleboarding has grown increasingly popular along South Florida’s coast, but the activity carries inherent risks when participants venture significant distances from shore without support vessels. Four miles offshore places a paddler well beyond easy swimming distance to land and outside the immediate view of beachgoers or lifeguard towers.
Pawlowski’s professional role at NextEra Energy Transmission involves overseeing major infrastructure execution, a position that places him among senior leadership at a Fortune 200 company with operations across multiple states. The company has not issued public statements regarding his disappearance.
Family members initiated the missing person report after Pawlowski’s expected return time passed without contact, prompting local law enforcement to escalate the case to federal maritime authorities given the offshore location. The Coast Guard’s involvement indicates the search is being treated as an active emergency with full resource deployment.
Jupiter Beach sits along a stretch of coastline known for both recreational water activities and challenging ocean conditions, with the Gulf Stream flowing relatively close to shore and creating variable sea states that can affect small craft and individual watercraft users.
The search for Pawlowski remains ongoing as crews continue combing the area where he was last observed.