Search Continues for Missing Florida Fishermen After Their Boat Was Found Drifting in the Gulf

The seek for two lacking Florida fishermen intensified Monday, three days after the U.S. Coast Guard discovered their boat drifting within the Gulf roughly 70 miles offshore from Fort Myers. Officials said the boat was in gear and nonetheless operating once they positioned it Saturday morning. They imagine the 2 fishermen, Randall Spivey and his nephew Brandon Billmaier, had been carrying life jackets.

“My dad and my cousin are nonetheless lacking and we’re not giving up,” Spivey’s son, Randy, wrote in a Facebook post Sunday. “Based mostly on our search of the boat, we imagine they’ve flotation units and are ready to be discovered. Each hour issues. We have to carry them residence.”

Volunteers search for missing fishermen in the Gulf. — Dozens extra volunteers had been anticipated to hitch the search Monday. Photograph courtesy Randy Spivey / through Fb

Randy informed reporters Monday morning that dozens of volunteers had joined the search effort in their very own boats and personal planes. The Cajun Navy additionally despatched plane from Louisiana, they usually had been scheduled to be within the space by 11 a.m., in keeping with WINK News.

Though the search is being led by the USCG certainly one of Spivey’s finest buddies, Paul Rocuant, is spearheading the trouble to recruit volunteers. He referred to as it one of many largest coordinated search efforts in Florida historical past in an update he posted to Facebook Monday.

“On behalf of the household, thanks in your continued assist, willingness to assist, and prayers,” Roucant wrote. “Your help really issues.”

An unmanned boat that was found drifting in the Gulf. — Spivey’s 42-foot boat was discovered drifting within the Gulf 70 miles offshore. Photograph courtesy USCG / through Fb

Relations first reported Spivey, 57, and Billmaier, 33, lacking on Friday night. The 2 fishermen had been aboard Spivey’s 42-foot Freeman catamaran. They’d left from a non-public dock in Iona that morning and had been purported to return by sunset. Spivey’s son, Randy, mentioned his father is a extremely skilled boater, and that he and Billmaier have been deep-sea fishing since they had been children.

The search remains to be centered across the location the place the unmanned boat was discovered drifting Saturday morning, and officers emphasised that their efforts are nonetheless thought-about a search-and-rescue operation. Anybody serious about volunteering is requested to ship a textual content message to Roucant at (239)634-3400 with the next info: