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Fort Myers, FL - Federal and local authorities have suspended an extensive search after an unmanned fishing boat was discovered drifting in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving two Florida men still unaccounted for days after they failed to return from a planned trip.
The two missing boaters were identified as Randall Spivey, 57, and Brandon Billmaier, 33, an uncle and nephew from South Florida who departed early Friday morning for a fishing excursion off the Fort Myers coast.
When the pair did not return as scheduled and could not be reached, family members reported them overdue later that evening, prompting a multi agency search operation.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the men’s vessel was located around 1:30 a.m. Saturday approximately 70 miles west of Fort Myers.
The boat was found afloat with the engine running and in gear, but there were no signs of either man on board.
Personal belongings remained inside the vessel, and there was no immediate evidence explaining how or why the boat was abandoned.
Over the next several days, search crews from the Coast Guard and partner agencies scoured thousands of square miles of open water using helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, and surface vessels.
Despite favorable visibility at times, no additional clues or sightings were reported.
On Monday evening, the Coast Guard announced the active search had been suspended, citing the scale of the effort, worsening conditions, and the absence of new information.
Officials emphasized that suspending operations does not mean the case is closed and said the search could resume if credible leads emerge.
Family members thanked responders and continue to ask the public to report any information that could help determine what happened.