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(VIDEO) Coast Guard Capt. Mark Fedor, Coast Guard 7th District chief of response, holds a press conference at Coast Guard Air Station Miami, July 31, 2015. Search efforts for two missing teenage boys was suspended after searching approximately 49,000 square nautical miles. U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Barney.
MIAMI — The Coast Guard has suspended the search for the two missing boys who departed on a fishing trip July 24, 2015.Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, both 14 years old, reportedly left their Jupiter, Florida, home aboard a 19-foot white single engine center console boat eight days ago.
“As we come to the difficult decision to suspend this search, our deepest condolences go to the families and all affected,” said Capt. Mark Fedor, Coast Guard 7th District chief of response. “Hundreds of people searched thousands of miles with hope of bringing these boys home to their loved ones.”
At approximately 5 p.m., July 24, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Miami command center received the report that Cohen and Stephanos had not returned from a fishing trip as expected. The teens were last seen at approximately 1:30 p.m., after purchasing $110 worth of fuel.
A Coast Guard C-130 aircrew located their capsized vessel 67 nautical miles east of Ponce de Leon Inlet, Florida, at approximately 11 a.m., Sunday. An Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew was dispatched, lowered a rescue swimmer to the boat, and confirmed the vessel belonged to Cohen and Stephanos.
Coast Guard search crews conducted 66 search patterns covering 49,624 square nautical miles. The search area stretched from the vicinity of Jupiter, Florida, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
The following Search-and-rescue crews assisted with the search:
- Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter
- Air Station Savannah, Georgia MH-65 Dolphin helicopter
- Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft
- Air Station Clearwater HC-130 aircraft
- Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130 aircraft
- Air Station Clearwater deployed MH-60 helicopter
- Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark
- Coast Guard Cutter Diamondback
- Coast Guard Cutter Yellowfin
- Coast Guard Cutter William Flores
- Coast Guard Cutter Maria Bray
- Coast Guard Cutter Shrike
- Coast Guard Cutter James
- Coast Guard Cutter Cormorant
- Coast Guard Cutter Sawfish
- Coast Guard Station Canaveral
- Coast Guard Station Fort Pierce
- Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet
- Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale
- Coast Guard Station Tybee Island
- Coast Guard Station Ponce de Leon Inlet
- Coast Guard 5th District command center
- Coast Guard Search and Rescue
- Customs and Border Protection maritime patrol aircraft
- Palm Beach Sheriff's Office
- USS Oak Hill
- US Navy P3
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources
- Tequesta Police Department
- Brevard County Sherriff Department
- Kennedy Space Center Police Department
- Flagler County Police Department
- Florida Wildlife Conservation
- USS Kearsarge
- Boynton Beach Police Department
- Georgia Park Rangers
- Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Department
- Royal Bahamian Defense force
- Royal Bahamian Police force
- Bahamian Air Sea Rescue Association
- NAS Jacksonville
- Air Force Base Hurlburt Field
- Operations Bahamas Turks & Caicos
For more information contact the Coast Guard 7th District public affairs office at 786-367-7649.
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