MARBLEHEAD, Ohio -- The Coast Guard suspended its search Sunday for a Cleveland firefighter who went missing Saturday off the shores of Lake Erie.

Kenneth Alderman, 44, was first reported missing after 8 p.m. Officials said he fell overboard. Three others, his fiance and another couple, were on the boat at the time.

They said Alderman was not wearing a life preserver.

Coast Guard Marblehead continued to search until late Sunday afternoon with the help of Cleveland Fire Department divers.

Dive teams, sonar, search crews and the Coast Guard helicopter were used to search a 12-mile area for Alderman, who was last seen about 2 miles from Cedar Point near Sandusky in Erie County, NewsChannel5 reported.

The Alderman family was with the Coast Guard when the decision was made to stop looking.

"They are very devastated at this time, but they appear to be holding up pretty well under the circumstances," said Kurt Shoemaker with the Coast Guard.

Alderman was a firefighter on the west side of Cleveland.

Those who knew him said he was kind, outgoing, and a hard worker, who served his community in a way that will make him impossible to replace.

"This day and age when you have people that are that type of quality, it's a tragedy to lose them and the will be missed," said one man.

Flags fly at half staff for Alderman, who served as a Cleveland firefighter for 20 years.