PHOTOS AVAILABLE: Coast Guard continues search for 2 overdue boaters in Florida

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Tampa Bay Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Tampa Bay 305-965-4672 PA Detachment Tampa Bay online newsroom

PHOTOS AVAILABLE: Coast Guard continues search for 2 missing boaters in Florida

   

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Coast Guard is continuing its search for two overdue boaters from Panama City, Florida Thursday.

Overdue are Gerald Cook, 81, and Peter Cook, 55, and four of their dogs aboard the 52-foot yellow steel vessel Rom'e.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Miami received the initial call from family stating a father and son were traveling from Panama City to Vero Beach, Florida by the Okeechobee Waterway and were scheduled to arrive Tuesday.

Coast Guard rescue crews who have been involved in the search include a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater C-130J Hercules aircrew and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew, Coast Guard Aviation Training Center (ATC) Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew, the Coast Guard Cutter Cutter Brant (WPB-87348) and the Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton (WPC-1108) crews. The search has covered 31,499 square miles in the Gulf of Mexico since Wednesday.

If you have any information that could aid in the search, please contact Coast Guard District 7 Command Center at 305-415-6800.

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-USCG-