US Coast Guard Locates Capsized Vessel Of Missing Florida Teenagers

The United States Coast Guard Sunday located the boat two teenagers were aboard for a fishing trip off the Florida coast. But the whereabouts of Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, both 14, are still unknown.

The Coast Guard discovered the capsized vessel about 67 nautical miles east of Florida’s Ponce de Leon Inlet. An HC-130 crew spotted the 19-foot boat at 11 a.m and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew was deployed to confirm the vessel’s registration, a press statement said.

Though the boys were not found with the boat, the Coast Guard has continued the search.

The boys were last spotted Friday in the Jupiter, Florida, area around 1:30 p.m. after they purchased $110 worth of fuel. A grandmother contacted the Coast Guard four hours later after she didn’t hear from the duo.

"We're heavily concerned for their well-being, and we're doing everything we can do to bring them back home," Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Mark Barney told CNN. The boys’ families are offering a $100,000 reward for their rescue. Joe Namath, former NFL quarterback and neighbor of the teenagers, is also helping in the search, Time reported.

During a press conference Sunday, Namath said both teenagers were experienced boaters. “We just keep on praying man,” he added. “It’s hard. It’s so hard.”

One life vest was found in the hull of the boat, a Coast Guard spokesman told NBC News. The vessel was later anchored at the location it was found.

The Coast Guard also announced Sunday its search to date has covered 25,000 square nautical miles.