Coast Guard searching for missing boaters
The U.S. Coast Guard Fort Myers Beach was continuing to search for two men whose boat was found 70 miles off the coast of Fort Myers on Saturday after they went on a deep water fishing trip.
U.S. Coast Guard Fort Myers Beach units were participating with other Coast Guard units and the U.S. Air Force in their search for 57-year-old Randall Spivey and 33-year-old Brandon Billmaier. The two left Friday morning for a fishing trip on a 42-foot Freeman boat from Fort Myers, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s office.
Spivey is the uncle of Billmaier and both are attorneys. Spivey is the president and founder of Spivey Law Firm in Fort Myers. Billmaier lives in Weston.
They left at about 5:30 a.m. from Fort Myers on a recreational fishing trip, according to U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Christian Delgado. They were expected to return later in the day and hadn’t been heard from since leaving.
Delgado said there were nine-knot winds from the northeast on Friday but there was no rain. There were no small-craft advisories issued by the Coast Guard on Friday or Saturday, Delgado said. Delgado said there were two to three-feet seas, which he described as “semi-calm.”
The search for the boaters began late Friday night. The boat was found adrift and moving on Saturday, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Riley Perkofski said. A swimmer with the U.S. Coast Guard anchored the boat and it was returned to Fort Myers Beach by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
“We continue to search with air and surface crews, pursuing all leads and saturating the search area. Thank you to this amazing community for their support. Our thoughts are with the families as we continue our efforts,” U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Corrie Sergent, of Sector St. Petersburg, said on Sunday.
Spivey’s son Randy took to Facebook on Sunday to announce that his family was active in the search for his father.
‘My dad and my cousin are still missing and we are not giving up. Based on our search of the boat, we believe they have flotation devices and are waiting to be found. Every hour matters. We need to bring them home,” Spivey said.
“They are two of the kindest, most selfless people I know. They are my role models. If you have any way to help with the search, please reach out immediately.”
Spivey put out a message on Facebook for those with boats or planes able to travel out for the search to assist.
“Our family is doing everything we can, and we are beyond grateful for every person who has stepped up, shared, searched, and prayed. But we still need help. We still need them found,” Spivey said.
Spivey said his dad was an experienced boater who regularly went deep sea fishing.
“My dad is a highly highly experienced boater,” Spivey said. He said his dad has been boating “his entire life” and that he and Brandon have been doing offshore fishing with him often since they were kids.
Spivey said on Monday that he had received a lot of support from boaters. “A lot of boats are going out this morning,” he said.
The Coast Guard was advising boats and aircraft in the area searching for the boaters to use caution near U.S. Coast Guard boats and aircrafts operating in the area as part of the search.
Boaters and aircraft should monitor Ch. 16 and report pertinent info to the U.S. Coast Guard. Anyone with information can contact 866-881-1392. All aircraft are advised to maintain situational awareness and not interfere with search and rescue crews. Delgado said there was a close call on Saturday between two aircraft flying close together in the area of the search.
The boat has since been brought back from the Gulf without the two missing men, to the U.S. Coast Guard station on Fort Myers Beach. Officials at the station and the U.S. Coast Guard were not immediately available to comment on the condition of the boat. Perkofski said there was fishing equipment found on the boat.