Coast Guard Expands Search for Teenagers Missing at Sea

ByABC NEWS ABCNews logo
Tuesday, July 28, 2015

The Coast Guard has searched 27,000 square miles for two teenagers believed to be lost at sea off the coast of Florida.

An area roughly the size of West Virginia had been searched for Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen as of early this morning. The two 14-year-olds were last seen Friday when they left Jupiter, Florida, for a fishing trip.

Their boat was found capsized off the coast of the Ponce de Leon Inlet, about 180 miles from Jupiter, on Sunday.

Coast Guard Captain Mark Fedor said Monday the two could likely survive about 4 or 5 days at sea based in part on survivability charts.

"I have a 13 and 14-year-old at home and this resonates with me," Fedor said.

The Coast Guard's search is now focused north of where the boat was found, Fedor said.

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