The search intensifies for two fishermen after their unoccupied boat was discovered adrift off the Florida coast.
Randall Spivey, 57, and his nephew, Brandon Billmaier, 33, embarked on a fishing expedition from Fort Myers on December 19, intending to return by late afternoon. When they failed to reappear as expected, concern grew among family members.
By 7:30 p.m., with no word from the duo, their family alerted authorities, prompting an immediate response.
At 11 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard launched a helicopter to aid in the urgent search for the missing men.
In the early hours of December 20, their vessel was discovered 70 miles offshore, eerily deserted.
A representative from the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast District informed Fox Digital that the boat was still operational when found.
‘The boat was in gear,’ Riley Perkofski said.
‘We deployed a swimmer, and then the swimmer deployed the vessel’s anchor so that it wouldn’t keep moving.’
An empty boat that belonged to two missing fisherman was recovered with its passengers nowhere to be found
Randall Spivey (left) and Brandon Billmaier (right) left for a fishing trip Friday morning and were expected to return by the afternoon
Their empty boat was found 70 miles from the coast of Fort Meyers, Florida
On Saturday morning, the US Coast Guard Southeast posted an update on social media, noting that air and surface crews were actively searching for the men.
Rescue operations were being conducted across a 35 mile radius and up to 5,000 feet in the air.
The agency warned non-Coast Guard vessels to ‘maintain situational awareness.’
‘Uncoordinated crews operating in the search area can create unsafe conditions and hinder response efforts,’ they wrote.
‘Boasters and aircraft pilots should monitor Ch. 16 and report pertinent info to Sector St. Pete.’
The Lee County Sherriff’s Office appears to be assisting with the search. Officials asked for the public’s assistance to find Spivey and Billmaier.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno described Spivey as ‘a white male, 6’1, 245lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing khaki pants and a dark in color shirt.
‘Billmaier is a white male, 6’2, 250lbs, with strawberry hair and brown eyes.’
Billmaier (left) and Spivey (right) were nephew and uncle. Their loved ones have come together to help find them
‘If you know the whereabouts of Spivey and Billmaier, you’re asked to call the Lee County Sheriff’s Office,’ Marceno continued.
According to Fox4, Spivey us a Fort Myers attorney. He is founder and president of Spivey Law Firm.
‘He’s an amazing husband, an amazing father,’ his wife told the outlet.
His nephew lives in Weston, Florida and also practices law. Billmaier’s wife, Deborah, made an urgent call to any pilots, boaters or loved ones in the area that may be able to help.
‘To all boaters and friends who are willing and able to help search for the missing boaters, Uncle Randy Spivey and my husband Brandon Billmaier,’ she wrote in a post shared by Semafor White House Correspondent Shelby Talcott.
‘The search area is going to be approximately 70 miles west of Flamingo, Florida.’
Spivey, 57, was described by police as ‘a white male, 6’1, 245lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing khaki pants and a dark in color shirt’
Billmaier, 33, was described as a 6’2, 250lb male with strawberry hair
Deborah asked volunteers to text her their boat type and size so that the information could be compiled and added to a group chat with the US Coast Guard.
‘Please help find them and bring them home!!,’ she added.
The vigilant wife told Fox4 that the entire situation has ‘been a nightmare.’
‘[It] feels like I’m in a horror movie,’ she said.
Deborah posted on social media that she has coordinated ‘one of the largest searches in Southwest Florida history.’
The volunteer rescue mission is set to take place the morning of December 21 at 7am with the help of the Coast Guard.
The Daily Mail contacted the US Coast Guard and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for more information.
