Coast Guard continues search for missing Florida teens
Jul 27, 2015, 4:24 AM
This combination made from photos provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows Perry Cohen, left, and Austin Stephanos, both 14 years old. Cohen and Stephanos were last seen Friday afternoon, July 24, 2015, in the Jupiter, Fla. area buying fuel for their 19-foot boat before embarking on a fishing trip. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
(U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
TEQUESTA, Fla. (AP) — Hundreds of family members, friends and classmates took part in a Sunday night prayer vigil for two missing 14-year-olds from South Florida who disappeared while fishing in the Atlantic Ocean.
Hours earlier, the U.S. Coast Guard found the teens’ 19-foot boat capsized off some 67 miles off Ponce de Leon Inlet in Volusia County. There was no sign of Perry Cohen or Austin Stephanos, who were last seen just before heading to sea on Friday afternoon.
The Coast Guard continued searching throughout the night, using a HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane, MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a 45-foot response boat.
The overturned fishing boat was spotted about 11 a.m. Sunday. A Coast Guard helicopter lowered a rescue swimmer who confirmed the registration numbers of the boat. Petty Officer Steve Lehmann said the boat will be anchored in place while search-and-rescue efforts continue.
Coast Guard officials said they’ve searched some 25,000 square miles since the boys were reported missing Friday afternoon.
Tequesta police told the Palm Beach Post (http://pbpo.st/1S6KP5v ) that Coast Guard crews reported the “engine cover was found to be missing along with on Personal Floatation Device still on the boat.”
The teens were last seen Friday afternoon buying $110 worth of gas before heading in the direction of the Bahamas to fish.
The prayer service took place at Jupiter Christian School where Stephanos has attended since kindergarten.
NFL Hall of Famer Joe Namath, who is Cohen’s neighbor, said during a news conference that both the boys are experienced boaters.
Namath said, “We’ve got to believe in their wherewithal.”
The families of the teens are offering $100,000 reward in the search.
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Information from: The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post, http://www.pbpost.com
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