The U.S. Coast Guard and a fleet of private vessels are searching for a Fort Myers attorney and a family member who went missing Dec. 19 after a fishing trip off the coast of Naples.
Attorney Randall Spivey, 57, and his 33-year-old nephew Brandon Billmaier were reported missing at about 9 p.m. The boat they’d been using for their trip had been scheduled to return at about sunset Friday.
Now a massive effort is underway to find the missing fishermen, said Randall Spivey’s wife, Tricia Spivey. Her voice choked with emotion as she described how people have answered the call to help.
Who were the Florida fishermen who went missing in the Gulf?
Attorney Randall Spivey, 57, and his 33-year-old nephew Brandon Billmaier were reported missing at about 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19.
Tricia Spivey reported her husband and nephew missing Friday night, said Luis Garcia, supervisor on watch for the Coast Guard sector in St. Petersburg. “They were going to fish about 102 miles offshore.”
Where was the boat of the missing fisherman found?
The pair went out in a 42-foot Freeman boat named “Unstopp-A-Bull,” Garcia said. The Coast Guard later found the boat floating upright in the Gulf about 70 miles off the coast of Naples, but no signs of the missing boaters.
Tricia Spivey says GPS coordinates from the boat’s spot tracker led them to that location near Marco Island and Flamingo. That’s where the search has been concentrated.
Where to call with information
If anyone knows about the pair’s whereabouts, they can call 911, if applicable, or call the sheriff’s office at 477-1000. To remain anonymous, you can also call SWFL Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
According to Stokes, anyone willing to help with the search can call the U.S. Coast Guard at 727-322-4180.
Erin Shaw Harrel of Facebook group SWFL Boaters provided these coordinates for the search: 25-51.67N 083-12.16W
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida attorney, nephew, missing while fishing in Gulf: What we know
Reporting by Hana Khalyleh and Charles Runnells, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
