VINALHAVEN – A Maine State Police dive team searched Carver’s Harbor on Thursday for a 22-year-old islander who escaped custody the night before.

The underwater search for Josh Anthony was called off in the late afternoon when divers found no signs of the man. The hunt by land is continuing.

“We searched the high-probability areas very well,” Maine Marine Patrol Sgt. Marlowe Sonksen said Thursday. Sonksen, a member of the dive team, said the water temperature was 57 degrees.

Sonksen was one of four divers who arrived at 10 a.m. with four marine patrol boats, he said, noting a marine patrol boat had arrived the night before around 10 p.m. to search.

Anthony was one of two people reportedly assaulted last weekend in a dispute over the death of a cat. Police got word Wednesday that Anthony and the other assault victim, David Warren, 24, also of Vinalhaven, planned to retaliate against their attackers. Lt. Lawrence Hesseltine of the Knox County Sheriff’s Department was on the island in case there was trouble, Chief Deputy Todd Butler said Thursday.

After an 8:30 p.m. call Wednesday regarding a disturbance at Roberts Cemetery Road, Anthony and Warren were arrested for terrorizing, Butler said.

While waiting at the ferry terminal for transportation to the jail in Rockland, Anthony bolted into the woods, Butler said. Deputies chased Anthony, who then jumped into the harbor and swam to a piling.

Hesseltine tried to convince Anthony to return to shore, but he went back into the water and has not been seen since.

The sheriff’s department, marine patrol, state police and U.S. Coast Guard scoured the land and water in the area, but have turned up no evidence of Anthony.

Law enforcement officials do not know if Anthony made it to shore or if he drowned. At the time of his arrest, Anthony was not handcuffed, Butler said. It is not customary to handcuff a person who will be taken to the mainland by boat for safety reasons, he said.

What led to Wednesday’s disturbance was an incident that took place Saturday on the island.

Charles Warren, 56, and his son Ira Warren, 39, allegedly beaten Anthony and David Warren with their hands and oak sticks because they believed the two men caused the death of their family cat. They did not require medical treatment.

The father and son were arrested on charges of aggravated assault, criminal mischief and terrorizing and later were released on bail.

Butler did not know if David Warren is related to Charles and Ira Warren.

During the search for Anthony on Wednesday night, David Warren was taken to Knox County Jail. He was released on $400 unsecured bail, according to a jail officer Thursday.

If anyone has any information about Anthony, they are asked to call 911, Butler said.

The marine patrol was expected to rejoin the search today with the Sheriff’s Department, Sonksen said.