Desperate search for two missing fishermen off Florida coast continues as Coast Guard leads rescue effort

A desperate search for two missing fishermen continued Saturday after their fishing boat was found empty about 70 miles off the Florida coast, authorities said. Randall Spivey, 57, and Brandon Billmaier, 33, had been fishing off Fort Myers, Florida, on Friday, according to family posts and officials. Billmaier’s wife said the two left early Friday morning and were expected to return in the afternoon, but as of 7:30 p.m. Friday they had not returned and their family had not heard from them.

At approximately 11 p.m. Friday the U.S. Coast Guard deployed a helicopter to search for the men, and at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday the family received a call indicating the vessel had been found about 70 miles off the coast with no one aboard. The boat was still running when found, Coast Guard officials said, with the vessel in gear. A Coast Guard swimmer was deployed to check the hull, and the swimmer deployed the boat’s anchor to prevent it from continuing to drift, officials said. The family is urging more people to join the search and is asking those who are willing and able to reach out. “We’ve gotta find them. Please. Please find them,” said Tricia Spivey, Randall’s wife, describing the family’s concern as the weekend began.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg said by Saturday afternoon that crews were conducting search and rescue operations across a wide area—roughly 35 miles in all directions—from the ocean’s surface up to about 5,000 feet in the air. Officials also warned aircraft in the area to maintain situational awareness and avoid interfering with search and rescue operations as teams worked the scene.

Randall Spivey is a 57-year-old man described as 6 feet 1 inch tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing khaki pants and a dark-colored shirt, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said. Brandon Billmaier, 33, is listed as 6 feet 2 inches tall with strawberry hair and brown eyes. The sheriff’s office did not specify what he was wearing when last seen, and directed requests for updates to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard said it would provide updates as the search continued and asked anyone with information to contact U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg at 866-881-1392. Family members posted messages of hope as they awaited word, and authorities cautioned the public not to impede responders.

The weekend search follows a straightforward pattern common to coastal missing-boat cases: a rapid deployment of air and surface assets, followed by a broad floating-area sweep as boats and gear drift with currents. Officials emphasized that conditions at sea can change quickly, complicating efforts when individuals disappear aboard small vessels.

The incident underscores the ongoing risks associated with near-shore fishing in the southeastern United States, where crews often work long hours in dynamic weather conditions. While the exact sequence of events remains under investigation, authorities said the vessel’s engine was running when found, and responders continue to pursue every potential lead.

As the search moves into a second day, Coast Guard crews will maintain a wide-area footprint, with a focus on identified search corridors and potential staging areas near the vessel’s last known location. Family members said they are grateful for the outpouring of support from the community and from officials, and they continue to hope for a rescue rather than a recovery.

The coast guard also reminded residents and visitors to keep lines of communication open and to report any sightings or information that could help locate Spivey and Billmaier. A return to shore by the two missing men has not been confirmed, and authorities cautioned against spreading unverified information.

The incident has drawn attention to the dangers of offshore fishing and to the critical role of the Coast Guard in coordinating searches that span thousands of square miles of ocean. As investigators collect data from the vessel and coordinate with local officials, the primary objective remains clear: locate the missing fishermen and bring them home safely.