14-year-old’s Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen left Jupiter on Friday for a fishing trip, but they never returned.
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Petty Officer Steve Lehman says the boat was found Sunday about 67 miles off Ponce de Leon Inlet in Volusia County.
Based on a social media posting by the boys, authorities believed they were headed toward the Bahamas, but they typically do not go farther than 200 to 300 feet from the marina, he said.
The boys’ families are offering a $100,000 reward for their rescue and asking experienced boaters in the area to help in the search.
Namath is the neighbor of one of the boys, Perry Cohen, who along with friend Austin Stephanos, has not been seen since they set off about 1.40pm Friday, and appealed for anyone with information about the pair’s location to come forward.
According to the report, the 19-foot vessel matches the description of the missing boys’ boat. In the past they took family vacations to the Bahamas.
“
We are very much hopeful they are OK and we can bring them back home”,
he said.
Lehmann said it’s entirely possible the teens’ boat could have ended up near Daytona Beach.
“We just keep on praying, man”, Joe Namath, the renowned former NFL quarterback, said Sunday. They said both boys are strong swimmers who grew up on the water fishing, swimming and operating watercraft.
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“It is not ruled out by any means whatsoever”, Pamela Cohen, Perry’s mother told the newspaper about the possibility of them being in the Bahamas. The Coast Guard search started off Jupiter. “I know they’re out there, they’re safe, and we just need to bring them home”.
