|
|
|
|
Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Families of the boys asking for searches in Northern Bahamas islands
July 31: The US Coast Guard search for the missing Jupiter teens will be suspended at sunset on Friday, July 31st, one week after Austin and Perry went missing. The Coast Guard said it has done all they could to locate the two boys, however the families say they will continue the search.
Should new information come to light before sunset, the Coast Guard they would reopen the case.
"...I do want to express my heartfelt condolences to the family. I met with them on Wednesday. Obviously they're going through a traumatic time. I just want to express my heartfelt sympathy to them," said Coast Guard Capt. Mark Fedor in a press conference.
The government of The Bahamas was mentioned in Capt. Feder's remarks as part of the large group of organizations and individuals involved in overseeing and engaging in the search. Bahamians officials were contacted at the onset of the search, but the Coast Guard felt strongly that the boys were in the Gulf Stream.
The Search GoFund page has raised over $282,000.
View the press conference HERE
As seen on Facebook: "The boys families and friends needs boaters, anglers and beach walkers to keep their eyes open for any debris that matches these items. Additionally, the family is seeking help in searching the uninhabited cays of the Northern Bahamas."
The families are circulating a
list of known items from the boat that have the potential to float:
BLACK long-sleeve t shirt. The boys were last seen shirtless, so this probably got away from the boat during capsize.
WHITE t-shirt with grandslam logo on it (logo below), and a picture of Richard Black, a recently-deceases tackle store owner in So. Fla. I don't have a useful picture of him.
WHITE FISHING BOOTS, perhaps kid-size. Both of these boys are on the small side--only about 100 lbs each. I don't know the brand:
WHITE throw cushion used on boats.
CLEAR Plano tackle box. Notice the translucent plastic.
WHITE, 65-quart Yeti cooler
Three ORANGE life jackets. Don't know details
GREY Yamaha 115cc engine cover, no decals
WHITE, five-gallon bait bucket
July 28th update: After some American news outlets posted that the search would be called off today, all those breaking news statement have been rescinded as the US Coast Guard has made it clear now that the search is continuing, despite rescue efforts hitting the 5 day mark.
Just this afternoon a call was made for pilots with planes from Jacksonville to Virginia Beach to help search for Austin and Perry. CALL 561-339-8469.
86,500 people have joined a Find Austin & Perry facebook page, which is growing by the minute, as people remain hopeful the boys will be found. An online petition to keep the search going was also started, as well as a crowd-sourced Rescue Fund which has over $158,500 at time of this posting.
July 27th update: The search continues in the Atlantic Ocean for the two missing Jupiter, Florida teens, and it moved north up the coast toward Jacksonville Monday, a day after their capsized boat was found drifting nearly 200 miles from where the two left port.
The search continued overnight Sunday and into Monday. The center of the search area is 50 nautical miles east of Jacksonville, officials said.
Up to Monday morning, the Coast Guard advised that rescue crews have covered more than 25,000 square nautical miles.
Beach goers, boaters and pilots are being asked to be on the lookout for a white Yeti cooler, and a Yamaha engine cover that was not found on the boat.
3pm Sunday update: The missing 19' Seacraft boat carrying two teenaged boys has been found capsized off Florida coast.
The U.S. Coast Guard said the boat was found 67 miles east of the Ponce de Leon Inlet near Cape Canaveral. That inlet is located 185 miles north of the Jupiter Inlet, where the boys originally went missing.
The search so far has covered over 14,000 square nautical miles.
Original feature (July 25th): The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for two 14-year-old fishermen last seen in the Atlantic waters off Jupiter after being reported missing Friday afternoon.
Authorities say Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen did not return as scheduled Friday from a fishing trip. The pair was last seen buying fuel Friday afternoon in the Jupiter area.
Margaux Stephanos has posted this message to her Facebook page:
MISSING: 2 fourteen year old boys in a white 18 foot seacraft with a 115
Yamaha engine. Presumed to be adrift at sea. Last seen near the Jupiter
inlet on Friday around noon. Calling for any and all boaters from
Jupiter north to assist in locating them. $10,000 Reward.
UPDATE:by 5am Sunday the reward had gone up to $100,000
The teens had been fishing from a 19-foot vessel with a single engine center console.
U.S. Coast Guard air and sea search-and-rescue crews have covered more than 5,300 square nautical miles, including waters as far north as Melbourne.
It was said that the boys posted a message on social media indicating they were headed to The Bahamas.
The boys' families are in contact with the Bahamas Air Search Rescue Association (BASRA) said they have had three aircraft up to search with negative results so far. The US Coast Guard is not searching Bahamian waters as yet. The Royal Bahamas Police Force has been contacted.
Story in the DailyMail.Uk
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
Top of Page
|
|
|
|
