FL FL - Austin Stephanos & Perry Cohen, both 14, Jupiter, 24 July 2015 - #1

[ZL27]

Would love to know what the new development is that inspired searching the shorelines between Beaufort SC and Cape Hatteras NC.
I live in Beaufort, the county consists of hundreds of islands, over 300 are undeveloped marsh islands. There are thousands of tourists enjoying the shoreline between here and Cape Hatteras . Can you imagine the number of tackle boxes and orange life vests that the searches will find and turn into LE because the item looks similar to the ones pictured on the flyer ? Poor LE !! What a mess.

My understanding is that there was no develoment. The language was someone's misguided attempt to attract volunteers to search. Those FB people are insane.

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

Don't buy into media hype on shark attacks...the chances of an attack are still insanely low. If you feel otherwise, you should go buy a lottery ticket tonight! There are thousands upon thousands of people in Florida waters daily...to the tune of around 30-40 million per year is what I last read somewhere. Even if we had 100 shark attacks in a year, I'd still not consider it a real threat. Even then, fatality rates are even lower from attacks.

There will always be anomalies in any kind of activity (shark attack deaths, lightning strike deaths, vending machine deaths, etc) that makes headlines.

Great....23 shark attacks thus far in 2015. I live on the other coast & shark mating season is stunning.

....but thanks for your perspective. I'll keep mine.

And sadly, I feel that if a person was floating out in the Gulf Stream for hours after capsizing their boat---yes, sharks become an issue.....a bigger issue than one would have if you're hanging at the beach waters.

 

[ZL27]

Ummm...Koa....look up the latest stats for shark attacks in Florida during the last couple of years, please. It is insane how many & the numbers are climbing overall for the Eastern Seaboard of the US, especially FL.
Scientists are taking interest..

However, it is still a very low statistic when you compare it to the number of swimmers in the water everyday. Plus, the vast majority happen in shallow water (and usually at dusk and dawn); the shark can't tell the difference between someone splashing around in shallow water and injured prey until they take a bite.

 

[popsicle]

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/29724274/two-life-jackets-found-amid-searching-for-missing-teens

Sorry if article already linked.

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

However, it is still a very low statistic when you compare it to the number of swimmers in the water everyday. Plus, the vast majority happen in shallow water (and usually at dusk and dawn); the shark can't tell the difference between someone splashing around in shallow water and injured prey until they take a bite.

Since I adore statistics, I will point out one glaring flaw in your statement: what percentage of people who go lost at sea (due to for example, a boat capsizing or a plane crashing out at sea) succumb to death due to shark attacks? Impossible to measure, right?

Therein lies the difficulty when measuring shark attacks.

But what I prefer to do is believe what my eyes show me regarding sharks in this particular area. There would be very few experienced fisherman with a cavileer attitude about sharks in this area.

 

[stmarysmead]

<modsnip>

The loss of their sons is no fraud. But whenever any individual or any charity trades on the good hearts of people for funding, it really is imperative that a full and organized accounting be observed.

Time was of the essence, so people gassed up their boats, planes, etc in good faith. The families need to keep faith now with these people. It does not need to be the immediate family, doing this. People understand the numbing effects of grief. But these families are all business people. They employ people who do the accounting for the businesses they own. They need a website with directions for reimbursements and a group of people to manage it and its accounting.

 

[Koa]

Since I adore statistics, I will point out one glaring flaw in your statement: what percentage of people who go lost at sea (due to for example, a boat capsizing or a plane crashing out at sea) succumb to death due to shark attacks? Impossible to measure, right?

Therein lies the difficulty when measuring shark attacks.

But what I prefer to do is believe what my eyes show me regarding sharks in this particular area. There would be very few experienced fisherman with a cavileer attitude about sharks in this area.

I'll respect your opinion and not argue the point with you other than to say as a fisherman, and all the fishermen I know, with literally years of our lives spent underwater and having so many encounters with different types of sharks, including really large Tigers, we've lost count, my experience is just the opposite of your belief.

 

[IndianSummer]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/life-jackets-found-private-search-missing-14-year/story?id=32896645
7 paragraphs into this abc news article is a link with an explanation why Heli Aviation pulled out of the search.

 

[wgram]

I agree

 

[eileenhawkeye]

Hypothetically speaking, I'd like to know how much money, if any, the families have put out of their own pockets towards the search. These are not low-income or even middle income families. You've got neighbor Joe Namath offering a $100,000 reward right off the bat for their safe return, you've got John Travolta providing free use of one of his private planes to assist with the search, you've got nearly $500,000 raise via G.F.M. and now further donations will be going to a bank acct.

I hate to say it but as someone who's been on WS for a few years now, following heartbreaking cases of missing children and loved ones, I find it somewhat disheartening that some cases seem to get immediate national attention and money pouring in, celebs willing to help.....and a half million dollars get raised in a week.......yet other cases, often times the missing children/parents/families are of very meager financial status and their loved one's case gets little to no air time, little to no social media interest, few if any financial donations and that just really bothers me.

The boys are not the only ones to get lost at sea, yet I can't think of another case that got this much media coverage in a long time. Maybe the NFL football players a few years back, but maybe not even that case. I have to wonder how much of a part Joe Namath played from offering a reward to appearing with them on national TV shows to using his connections to get the media to talk about the case. And since the case was high profile, a lot of people became aware of it, and many of those people took an interest, donated money, and joined the FB page. I am following the case of Deorr Kunz, he also apparently got lost, his case has gotten very little national coverage, and overall, fundraising has made about $3k. I know the circumstances are different, but I think it shows the power of media exposure. Who knows how much pressure from the public/media caused the search efforts to go for as long and as expansive as they did? How many people volunteered to search because of that 100k reward and the possible opportunities that could result if they found the boys, especially alive? And of course you have the connections like with John Travolta. It all goes full circle.

 

[T4Tide]

Well, for lack of a better phrase, "birds of a feather flock together." Reality is that rich people are friends with other rich people. Poor people are usually friends with other poor people. Poor kid gets lost and poor family's friends donate $5 or $10 to help. Rich kid gets lost and family's friends donate $500 or $1000 to help. I don't think there's any crime or scheme in that....just the reality of the situation.

We are not rich by any means, compared to famous people, etc... but in our little community in rural Alabama, we are definitely more blessed than most. I would hate to think that if something happened to one of my children that people around me would say, "well, they don't need my help. Look at that big ole house and those new cars."

I also like to think that I wouldn't ask for money, though. However, I've never been in the situation of needed help searching the ocean for my child. As far as burial, being out of work during the tragic time, etc goes, that would be why we have what other people consider "large" life insurance policies on our children.

Everything in my being tells me these boys have been gone. BUT.... they are not my babies...my flesh and blood. If they were, I don't know if I could ever stop looking. Honestly, you'd probably find me at 80 years old, standing at that inlet in a lacy nightgown blowing in the salty breeze, begging the waves to bring my baby back.

 

[ZL27]

I'll respect your opinion and not argue the point with you other than to say as a fisherman, and all the fishermen I know, with literally years of our lives spent underwater and having so many encounters with different types of sharks, including really large Tigers, we've lost count, my experience is just the opposite of your belief.

100% agree as someone who grew up swimming, fishing and scuba diving just a few miles south of the Jupiter Inlet.

People need to understand something about those videos of thousands of sharks in the area. That phenomenon only occurs a few weeks a year when sharks are migrating (like birds do).

 

[Dockins]

Well, for lack of a better phrase, "birds of a feather flock together." Reality is that rich people are friends with other rich people. Poor people are usually friends with other poor people. Poor kid gets lost and poor family's friends donate $5 or $10 to help. Rich kid gets lost and family's friends donate $500 or $1000 to help. I don't think there's any crime or scheme in that....just the reality of the situation.

We are not rich by any means, compared to famous people, etc... but in our little community in rural Alabama, we are definitely more blessed than most. I would hate to think that if something happened to one of my children that people around me would say, "well, they don't need my help. Look at that big ole house and those new cars."

I also like to think that I wouldn't ask for money, though. However, I've never been in the situation of needed help searching the ocean for my child. As far as burial, being out of work during the tragic time, etc goes, that would be why we have what other people consider "large" life insurance policies on our children.

Everything in my being tells me these boys have been gone. BUT.... they are not my babies...my flesh and blood. If they were, I don't know if I could ever stop looking. Honestly, you'd probably find me at 80 years old, standing at that inlet in a lacy nightgown blowing in the salty breeze, begging the waves to bring my baby back.

I wish I knew how to bold by me and such, but I was finally brought to tears by your last paragraph. I don't doubt that Austin and Perry's moms will be doing this. Aside from money and everything else, you have touched a very intimate nerve. I wish I had such succinct words to offer comfort to their families. Thank you.

 

[WhiskeyBent]

Don't even get me started I have so much that's wrong with this case I don't even know where to start. <modsnip>


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[wgram]

I wonder how many donations were made over $1000? Or $500? I feel like most of the donations are small amounts of money from average people around the world. I bet most of the donations are from complete strangers, not their social circle. IMO, it is due to the media exposure of the case.

YETI coolers made a donation of $25,000. There are quite a few large donations listed on the site you just sort at the top "highest" http://www.********.com/perryandaustin

 

[WhiskeyBent]

The boys are the victims.


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[Dockins]

Yet one of the fathers on video stated that he had spent $100,000 that one day on fuel and the search and it scared the hell out of him (his words not mine). There has been speculation that the family is quite wealthy and this was an opportunity for them to collect money from the general public to fund the search instead of spending their own money. Yet no one can get any reimbursements? Sounds suspicious IMO. Some are asking if the boys had life insurances. That is disturbing to think in these lines. Some posters are saying that there doesn't seem to be a lot of emotion with this story. IDK Just an all around sad story. It will be interesting to hear in the end what happened to the remaining funds if there are any. JMO

I thought the same thing in the beginning,but I have learned from fellow pilots that the money is being distributed, you just don't see these people posting on FB. I'm in NC, and don't know how payouts has worked out, but our local airport pilots that helped in the search are praising the family privately, and say they were paid for fuel, etc. just because you do don't see it on fb doesn't make it untrue.

 

[amymarie]

The boys are the victims.

I agree, but the boys made a poor choice and ended up in this situation.

The parents are victims as well - they have lost their children. They could have taught them better safety rules and bought them better equipment, but in the grand scheme of things, they did not kill their children and should be treated with more respect than this.

 

[WhiskeyBent]

I thought the same thing in the beginning,but I have learned from fellow pilots that the money is being distributed, you just don't see these people posting on FB. I'm in NC, and don't know how payouts has worked out, but our local airport pilots that helped in the search are praising the family privately, and say they were paid for fuel, etc. just because you do don't see it on fb doesn't make it untrue.

How many planes and boats do you think it would take to spend $100k on fuel in one day? That's a lot of eyes, 2-4 people per plane; 4-6 per boat? Heli Aviation said they spent $2500 on two helicopters per day. So $1250 on one helicopter.

If you'll agree that a helicopter's fuel usage could be used as average between filling a boat and filling a plane; that makes 80 boats, planes and helicopters per day. Ok, I can see that.

In my opinion, with the USCG out (as they were privately searching at that time as well) plus the 80 private search vehicles-

Why didnt they find anything?

It's a serious question; and one that probably prompted the whole "something feels wrong about this" movement.

Jmo.


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[Inspector Gidget]

My guess would be that even if it was their life jackets are theirs they weren't wearing them.They came there adrift.Sad to see them,still holding out.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/n...items/nnD2d/?ecmp=pbp_social_twitter_2015_sfp