Crews are intensifying their search for two men who went missing during a fishing trip. Their boat was found still running, with no one aboard, 70 miles off Florida’s Gulf Coast on Saturday.U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies are actively searching for Randy Spivey, 57, and his nephew, Brandon Billmaier, 33, who went missing during the trip that began Friday morning.Family members reported Spivey and Billmaier were missing after they left from their private dock in Iona early Friday morning and didn’t return before sundown.The boat, a green 42-foot Freeman catamaran named “Unstoppable,” was found by the Coast Guard on Saturday morning running and drifting about 70 miles offshore from Fort Myers, with no one on board.Officials emphasize that the operation remains a search-and-rescue effort, not a recovery mission.The U.S. Coast Guard, leading the search from Miami, has been joined by local fire and law enforcement crews, with firefighters volunteering their time on the water. Volunteer pilots have also joined the search, taking private planes from Naples Airport to assist in locating the missing fishermen.Search coordinators have renewed hope after learning that they may have been wearing blue and yellow auto-inflate life jackets, which could increase their chances of survival. Scott Smith, a civilian rescue coordinator for the U.S. Coast Guard, said, “Randy was more likely wearing a life jacket and an auto-inflate life jacket, which gives everybody a little bit more hope that if they’re wearing life jackets.”Despite more than 48 hours passing, crews continue to search aggressively, holding on to hope that Spivey and Billmaier can still be found and brought home. The search efforts are ongoing, with live updates expected from Fort Myers Beach. The U.S. Coast Guard says the active search area remains about 70 miles offshore, centered near 25-36N, 083-16W, spanning roughly 35 statute miles and reaching up to 5,000 feet in altitude.A smaller cutter, multiple aircraft, and surface crews are involved. Air Force assets also assisted.The Coast Guard advised all aircraft to maintain situational awareness and not to interfere with search-and-rescue crews.
Crews are intensifying their search for two men who went missing during a fishing trip. Their boat was found still running, with no one aboard, 70 miles off Florida’s Gulf Coast on Saturday.
U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies are actively searching for Randy Spivey, 57, and his nephew, Brandon Billmaier, 33, who went missing during the trip that began Friday morning.
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Family members reported Spivey and Billmaier were missing after they left from their private dock in Iona early Friday morning and didn’t return before sundown.
The boat, a green 42-foot Freeman catamaran named “Unstoppable,” was found by the Coast Guard on Saturday morning running and drifting about 70 miles offshore from Fort Myers, with no one on board.
Officials emphasize that the operation remains a search-and-rescue effort, not a recovery mission.
The U.S. Coast Guard, leading the search from Miami, has been joined by local fire and law enforcement crews, with firefighters volunteering their time on the water. Volunteer pilots have also joined the search, taking private planes from Naples Airport to assist in locating the missing fishermen.
Search coordinators have renewed hope after learning that they may have been wearing blue and yellow auto-inflate life jackets, which could increase their chances of survival.
Scott Smith, a civilian rescue coordinator for the U.S. Coast Guard, said, “Randy was more likely wearing a life jacket and an auto-inflate life jacket, which gives everybody a little bit more hope that if they’re wearing life jackets.”
Despite more than 48 hours passing, crews continue to search aggressively, holding on to hope that Spivey and Billmaier can still be found and brought home. The search efforts are ongoing, with live updates expected from Fort Myers Beach.
The U.S. Coast Guard says the active search area remains about 70 miles offshore, centered near 25-36N, 083-16W, spanning roughly 35 statute miles and reaching up to 5,000 feet in altitude.
A smaller cutter, multiple aircraft, and surface crews are involved. Air Force assets also assisted.
The Coast Guard advised all aircraft to maintain situational awareness and not to interfere with search-and-rescue crews.
