Martha's Vineyard

Dangerous Conditions Halt Search for 2nd Brother Who Jumped Off ‘Jaws Bridge'

Massachusetts State Police said dangerous conditions forced them to suspend the water search Tuesday afternoon for Tavaughn Bulgin

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The search for the second brother who went missing after jumping off the Jaws Bridge in Martha's Vineyard has been suspended for the day due to dangerous conditions, state police said Tuesday afternoon.

Massachusetts State Police divers and a Marine Unit suspended their search for the second swimmer after 5 p.m. Monday but resumed their search Tuesday morning with Massachusetts Environmental Police assisting with side scan sonar.

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The multi-agency search began overnight Sunday into Monday after two swimmers went missing near the Jaws Bridge. It was later revealed by police that the pair of swimmers were brothers who were 21- and 26-years-old.

A search team recovered the body of the older brother around 9 a.m. Monday, state police said. He was identified as Tavaris Bulgin.

State police on Tuesday identified the swimmer who remains missing as Tavaughn Bulgin. Investigators have said they believe the two brothers came to the island to work at a restaurant and were staying in Oak Bluffs.

State police said they cleared the inlet/pond on the land side of the American Legion Memorial Bridge on Tuesday without locating Bulgin. They said they began searching the ocean side of the bridge but were hampered by poor weather that caused dangerous conditions. State police said around 2:30 p.m. that the search had been suspended for the remainder of the day and weather conditions will be assessed on a day-by-day basis to determine when it is safe to resume searching.

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