The U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities are searching for 57-year-old Randall Spivey and 33-year-old Brandon Billmaier after their fishing boat was found unmanned about 70 miles off Florida. The vessel was discovered running and in gear; a Coast Guard swimmer secured it with an anchor to stop it drifting. Search operations cover roughly a 35-mile radius and include aircraft up to 5,000 feet. Anyone with information is asked to call Sector St. Petersburg at 866-881-1392.
Intensive Search Underway After Fishing Boat Found Unmanned 70 Miles Off Florida Coast
Desperate search for 2 men underway after fishing boat found empty 70 miles off Florida coast
Authorities have launched an intensive search for two missing fishermen after their vessel was discovered unmanned and still running roughly 70 miles off the coast of Florida.
Timeline
The men, identified as 57-year-old Randall Spivey and 33-year-old Brandon Billmaier, left Fort Myers early Friday morning to go fishing and were expected back that afternoon. By 7:30 p.m. Friday the family had not heard from them. Around 11 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard deployed a helicopter. At approximately 1:30 a.m. Saturday the vessel was located about 70 miles offshore, but neither man was aboard.
What Authorities Found
Riley Perkofski, a public affairs specialist for the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast District, told Fox News Digital the boat was found in gear and still running. "The boat was in gear," Perkofski said. A Coast Guard swimmer boarded the vessel and deployed its anchor to prevent it from drifting while the search continued.
Search Effort
Search-and-rescue operations expanded across a broad area—about 35 miles in every direction from the vessel's last known location—and used assets from the ocean surface up to about 5,000 feet in the air. Officials warned aircraft in the area to maintain situational awareness and avoid interfering with rescue crews.
Family Appeal
Family members, including Spivey’s wife, Tricia, have issued emotional appeals for help. "We've gotta find them. Please. Please, please find them," Tricia told WBBH-TV. The family has asked other mariners and volunteers to join the search if they can, and asked those who cannot to keep the men in their prayers.
Descriptions and How to Help
The Lee County Sheriff's Office provided descriptions: Spivey is about 6-foot-1 with brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing khaki pants and a dark-colored shirt. Billmaier is about 6-foot-2 with strawberry-colored hair and brown eyes; authorities did not specify his clothing. Anyone with information is asked to contact U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg at 866-881-1392.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office has referred additional inquiries to the U.S. Coast Guard as search efforts continue.
