FL FL - Justin Walker & Brian McCluney, overdue fishermen on boat, Port Canaveral, 16 Aug 2019

[JerseyGirl]

Justin Walker, a master technician for the Fairfax County (Virginia) Fire and Rescue Department, was last seen going on a fishing trip with his friend Brian McCluney, a member of the Jacksonville, Florida, fire department.

The pair launched early Friday on McCluney’s 24-foot center console boat off a ramp in Port Canaveral.

Search for missing Fairfax firefighter covers 20,000 square miles | WTOP

Fairfax County Firefighter Missing in Florida

 

[MFH]

PHOTO RELEASE: Coast Guard, partner agencies search for overdue boaters near Port Canaveral

 

[MFH]

U.S. Coast Guard Southeast - Facebook for U.S. Coast Guard Southeast. They are heading up the search and posting many updates. They have also posted a map of where they have already searched.


U. S. Coast Guard Southeast twitter
USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) on Twitter

 

[Deleted member 278]

What in the world could have happened to these guys?

 

[GraceG]

I looked at the NOAA historical radar for that morning and afternoon. There was a small thin line of thunderstorms roll through late afternoon between Melbourne and Port Saint Lucie but I think that would be a bit south of their course to Reef 8A. Praying hard for the families. The one interview with one of the wives was heartrending.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Update Aug. 19 at 12:30 p.m.: JFRD says that over 135 people have come out today to assist with the search for the two missing men. There are currently 36 boats searching from Brunswick, Ga. to St. Augustine, Fla.

The agency further expressed that this is still very much a rescue mission. The two men were raised on the water and have the skills needed to survive for a long time.

MISSING BOATERS OFF PORT CANAVERAL: Coast Guard, other agencies searching for two boaters

 

[JerseyGirl]

The pair was last seen leaving the 300 Christopher Columbus boat ramp Friday in a 24-foot center console boat heading toward 8A Reef.

The family walked up the Brevard coast Sunday, praying and looking for any signs of the missing boaters.

Search continues for 2 firefighters missing on Florida fishing trip

Search resumes Monday for missing Jacksonville firefighter, friend

 

[charminglane]

God bless these men, their families, and the searchers.

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

It doesn't sound like their boat has been found yet, either....

Hopefully that is a good sign...
That they are still safe on the boat...

JMO

 

[Davia18]

I haven't read everything but I'm assuming the truck and boat trailer are still at the dock parking lot?

 

[JerseyGirl]

Monday's search effort, which began at 8 a.m., will continue until the late afternoon. The search stretches 60 miles from the coast.

Crews have searched an estimated 24,000 miles since Friday.

The families of the missing boaters are asking people to continue to share photos of the men and the boat. They're also asking volunteers to comb nearby beaches and search for anything that could have washed up on shore from the boat, such as extra life preservers.

Search continues along Florida coast for missing boaters last seen near Port Canaveral

 

[Aycheff]

Thank you for starting a thread for Brian and Justin!!! These guys and their families are close friends with many of my friends, and Brian’s mom is a beloved teacher at my son’s school. We are all pretty baffled because there are several possibilities as far as what could have happened, & we are all, of course, hoping that they will still be found alive!

The general consensus locally is that people think the current pushed them way up north somewhere, but nothing has been found yet so we really have no idea.

 

[Blue Ridge]

Praying for these men to be found safe!!! And soon!!!

 

[Blue Ridge]

Ok I am on phone so don't know how to link from here, but at Jersey Girls link above, it's been updated to say they've found a tackle bag with Brian's items in it.

ETA: found 50 miles off coast of St Augustine.

 

[Davia18]

Ok I am on phone so don't know how to link from here, but at Jersey Girls link above, it's been updated to say they've found a tackle bag with Brian's items in it.

ETA: found 50 miles off coast of St Augustine.

Oh no, how could that happen other than the boat sinking ?

 

[FlamingoLady]

Oh no, how could that happen other than the boat sinking ?

Couldn't it have fallen off the side of the boat?

 

[Blue Ridge]

Oh no, how could that happen other than the boat sinking ?

At the other (click orlando) link also from JGs post, I read that his wife believes it is a breadcrumb they threw out of the boat to help them be found. I hope she is right!!!

 

[GraceG]

Here's link to the tackle bag info. I think if it had been damaged from a fire/explosion that would have been reported.. Search continues for boaters who disappeared off Port Canaveral. St. Augustine is a long ways north of where they were fishing but in line where currents would have taken any debris/clues.

 

[PommyMommy]

Wife of Florida firefighter who went missing on fishing trip opens up about rescue
[...]

SM, wife of Brian McCluney, expressed her concerns – and her resolve -- to ABC's local affiliate station in Jacksonville, Florida, WJXX.

"It was supposed to be a fairly short day on the water," she said. "I gave them until 6 p.m. maybe because the fishing was great. But 6 o'clock, I didn't hear and I still could see that he didn't read my messages – they hadn't even been delivered yet … at 8 p.m. we called the Coast Guard."

One of the main reasons McCluney and Walker were taking the fishing boat out for the day was to honor Brian McCluney's recently-departed father.

"[Brian] wanted to get those lines wet one more time. You know, one big final hurrah for his dad and it was just supposed to be one great day in his honor … he was excited to get out there on the water," said SM.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

US COAST GUARD

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
.@USCG crews are searching for 2 overdue boaters near #PortCanaveral. Brian McCluney and Justin Walker were last seen Friday and reported to be going to the 8A Reef. #HappeningNow #BreakingNews More here: https://lnks.gd/2/_3nX-T

10:15 AM - 17 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#UPDATE on overdue boaters in @PortCanaveral. @USCG @USNavy @BrevardSheriff @MyFWC and civilian crews have searched est 4400 square miles w/ multiple assets for approximately 24 hours. Search planes and surface assets continue to search. #HappeningNow
5:47 PM - 17 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#UPDATE 2. @USCG crews plan to search throughout the night for the 2 overdue boaters near @PortCanaveral. Anyone with information is asked to contact command center watchstanders at 904-714-7558. Be alert on the water, any information helps. #HappeningNow #BreakingNews

8:09 PM - 17 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#Update 3: Crews have totaled an est 4800 miles and continue to search for the overdue @PortCanaveral boaters with surface & air assets. Crews are searching @PortCanaveral area up to north of @CityofJax and approximately 80 miles off shore following. #HappeningNow #BreakingNews
7:15 AM - 18 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#UPDATE 4: @USCG and partner agencies are concentrating searches near the Gulf Stream. Good Sams have been searching 1-15 miles off the coast from south GA to @PortCanaveral. Est 5k miles searched. #HappeningNow #BREAKING
10:33 AM - 18 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#UPDATE 5: @USCG crews currently searching are 2 87-ft patrol boats, the Cutter Confidence, 2 small boats, and an HC-130 search plane. @MyFWC @JSOPIO @CBPFlorida @BrevardSheriff and an est 15 good Sam vessels are also aiding in the search. #HappeningNow #BREAKING
10:44 AM - 18 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#UPDATE 6: @USCG and partner crews continue to search for the overdue @PortCanaveral boaters. Crews have investigated a reported debris field 50-miles east of St. Augustine, but confirmed it wasn't in relation to the boaters. #HappeningNow #BreakingNews

2:49 PM - 18 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#UPDATE 7: #BreakingNews A civilian aircraft reported seeing a vessel matching the ID of the @PortCanaveral boater's vessel 50 miles east of @CityofJax . A @USCG search plane diverted and located a cooler and life jackets. Multiple assets are en route to search. #HappeningNow
4:48 PM - 18 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#UPDATE 8: @USCG assets are on scene of where the civilian aircraft reported seeing a similar boat. No boats found and floating items turned out to be other debris not related to the boaters. Crews are expanding search patterns in the area. #BreakingNews #HappeningNow
5:40 PM - 18 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#UPDATE 9: @USCG, partner agency crews will be searching through the night w/ surface and air assets for the @PortCanaveral boaters. The search has covered 20,029 sq miles with an est 70 hrs of active searches. Images show today's searches from #PortCanaveral to #Charleston S.C.

9:07 PM - 18 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#Update 10: Crews have totaled an est 24,000 miles and continue to search for the overdue @PortCanaveral boaters with surface & air assets. Crews are searching @PortCanaveral area up to north of @CityofJax and approximately 80 miles off shore. #HappeningNow
7:52 AM - 19 Aug 2019

USCGSoutheast on Twitter
#UPDATE 11: @USCG crews currently searching are two 87-ft patrol boats and an HC-130 search plane. Multiple partner agency surface and air assets are also aiding in the search. #HappeningNow
11:58 AM - 19 Aug 2019

 

[charminglane]

Never give up.
Keep the faith!