Coast Guard searching for missing boaters

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Brandon Billmaier has been missing since going on a fishing expedition Friday with his uncle 57-year-old Randall Spivey. They left Fort Myers on Friday and their boat was found 70 miles off the coast on Saturday. Photo credit: Lee County Sheriff's Office

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57-year-old Randall Spivey (pictured) is missing after going on a fishing expedition with his nephew, 33-year-old Brandon Billmaier. Photo credit: Lee County Sheriff's Office

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The U.S. Coast Guard located this boat on Saturday morning with two passengers missing. The Coast Guard is searching for 57-year-old Randall Spivey and 33-year-old Brandon Billmaier, who left Fort Myers on a fishing trip on Friday. Photo credit: U.S. Coast Guard

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The U.S. Coast Guard Fort Myers Beach is continuing to search this morning for two men whose boat was found 70 miles off the coast of Fort Myers on Saturday after they left on a fishing trip.

U.S. Coast Guard Fort Myers Beach units are continuing to participate with two other Coast Guard units and the U.S. Air Force in their search for 57-year-old Randall Spivey and 33-year-old Brandon Billmaier. The two left Friday morning for a fishing trip on a 42-foot Freeman boat from Fort Myers, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s office.

Spivey is the uncle of Billmaier and both are attorneys. Spivey is the president and founder of Spivey Law Firm in Fort Myers.

They left at about 5:30 a.m. from Fort Myers on a recreational fishing trip, according to U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Christian Delgado. They were expected to return later in the day and hadn’t been heard from since leaving.

Delgado said there were nine-knot winds from the northeast on Friday but there was no rain. There were no small-craft advisories issued by the Coast Guard on Friday or Saturday, Delgado said. Delgado said there were two to three-feet seas, which he described as “semi-calm.”

The Coast Guard is advising boats and aircraft in the area to stay away from boats and aircrafts operating in the area.

Boaters and aircraft should monitor Ch. 16 and report pertinent info to the U.S. Coast Guard. Anyone with information can contact 866-881-1392. All aircraft are advised to maintain situational awareness & not interfere with search and rescue crew. Delgado said there was a close call on Saturday between two aircraft flying close together in the area of the search.

This story will be updated.