Two missing Florida fishermen search expands after empty boat found 70 miles off Fort Myers
Coast Guard leads a wide-area search for Randall Spivey and Brandon Billmaier as relatives urge volunteers to join the effort.
An urgent search is underway for two missing fishermen after their boat was found empty roughly 70 miles west of the Fort Myers, Florida, coast, authorities said early Saturday. Randall Spivey, 57, and his nephew Brandon Billmaier, 33, left Fort Myers for a morning fishing trip Friday and were not expected back until the afternoon, according to family members.
At about 11 p.m. Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard deployed a helicopter to aid the search, and by 1:30 a.m. Saturday responders learned the vessel had been located but the men were not aboard. The Coast Guard said the boat was still in gear when found, and rescuers deployed a swimmer who then anchored the vessel to prevent it from drifting. The discovery prompted a broader search over a wide area as the family pressed for information and additional help.
By Saturday afternoon, Coast Guard crews were conducting search and rescue operations across about 35 miles in all directions from the area, with air assets up to roughly 5,000 feet in the air. Officials also warned other aircraft to maintain situational awareness to avoid interfering with responders. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said it was assisting in the search and coordination with the Coast Guard.
Spivey is described as a 6-foot-1 man with brown hair and brown eyes, weighing about 245 pounds. Billmaier is 6-foot-2, with strawberry-blond hair and brown eyes, and weighs roughly 250 pounds. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said Spivey was last seen wearing khaki pants and a dark shirt while Billmaier’s clothing description was not provided.
The search is being led by the Coast Guard’s Southeast District, with Sector St. Petersburg and local authorities coordinating efforts. Public tips were requested at 866-881-1392. Spivey serves as an attorney in Fort Myers, and his wife described him as an “amazing husband” and father, while noting the emotional toll on the family as they awaited news.
In a social-media post shared by reporters and outlets, Deborah Billmaier urged volunteers to join the effort and provided details about the search area. She said the family hoped for as many people as possible to help, and asked for prayers if assistance was not possible. The situation has been described by loved ones as a nightmare, with the family organizing volunteers to support what one relative called “one of the largest searches in Southwest Florida history.” A planned volunteer mission was set to begin Sunday morning at 7 a.m. with Coast Guard support, and organizers asked boaters and pilots who are able to help to contact authorities.
Officials cautioned that uncoordinated search efforts could hinder operations and emphasized that boats and aircraft should monitor maritime channel 16 and coordinate through Sector St. Pete. The Daily Mail and other outlets have reported on the evolving search, which remains active as responders work to locate Spivey and Billmaier.
As the weekend progressed, the focus remained on widening the search footprint to improve the chances of locating the missing men and bringing them home to their families.