FORT MYERS, FL – Authorities on Monday, Dec. 22, were set to return to the waters off the coast of Naples, Florida, and resume an expansive search effort for an attorney and his nephew three days after the pair went missing.
The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the search for Randall Spivey, 57, and Brandon Billmaier, 33. The intensive effort began after the two men were reported missing on Friday, Dec. 19. The boat they’d been using for a fishing trip was scheduled to return at about sunset.
Over the weekend, members of the Coast Guard found their boat floating empty in the Gulf, about 70 miles off the coast of Naples, with no sign of the missing boaters. Officials said the pair had planned to fish about 102 miles offshore.
The Coast Guard said the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon was on the boat when they discovered it empty and couldn’t help them find the missing men. Not located on the boat were a couple of life jackets, officials said, indicating that Spivey and Billmaier may be wearing them…