KENNEBUNK — A missing Portland water taxi showed up on the shores of Parsons Beach Friday morning, but the operator of the vessel, believed to be Cape Elizabeth boat captain Adam Patterson, is missing.

The 24-foot boat was discovered buried in the sand by a resident walking the beach around 7 a.m. Friday, according to a press release from the Maine Department of Marine Resources. The pedestrian reported the discovery to the Kennebunk Police Department, according to the release.

The Maine Marine Patrol was notified and arrived on the scene to secure and search the capsized vessel, according to the release.

According to Marine Patrol reports, the vessel’s super structure, including its roof and windshield, was destroyed and debris from the vessel was found along the beach.

No evidence of foul play has been found among the wreckage, according to the Department of Marine Resources. The debris from the vessel has been removed from the beach, and the Kennebunk Public Works Department transported it to a secure location for further inspection by the Maine Marine Patrol, according to the press release.

The Maine Marine Patrol had searched Wednesday and Thursday for Patterson, 30, an employee of the Portland-based water taxi service Portland Express Taxi, who has been missing since early Wednesday morning, according to the release.

Security video from a camera located at Dimillo’s Marina in Portland showed the vessel leaving the marina at 3:25 a.m. Wednesday. While the video shows the vessel underway, it does not show Patterson. However, details of the investigation led the Marine Patrol to assume that Patterson was operating the vessel at the time of its disappearance, according to the release.

The Department of Marine Resources reported Friday the search for Patterson will continue, but is now considered a recovery effort. The Marine Patrol was to continue the search with assistance from a Coast Guard helicopter out of Cape Cod, the release states.