Search continues for Florida boaters who went missing during fishing trip

The search continued Sunday for two Florida boaters who went missing while fishing near Fort Myers on Friday.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office are searching for 57-year-old Randall Spivey and his nephew, 33-year-old Brandon Billmaier, of Weston.

According to the sheriff’s office, the two men left early Friday morning for a fishing trip aboard a 42-foot Freeman boat. They departed from a residence in the 15000 block of Intracoastal Court in Fort Myers.

A family friend said the two frequently went fishing and were off the coast of Naples but when they didn’t return when they were supposed to, around 7 p.m. Friday, Spivey’s wife contacted the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard officials said their boat was found about 70 miles off Fort Myers, but both men remained missing.

“Today, we continue to search with air & surface crews, pursuing all leads & saturating the search area. Thank you to this amazing community for their support. Our thoughts are with the families as we continue our efforts,” Coast Guard Capt. Corrie Sergent said in a statement posted on X on Sunday.

#UPDATE “Today, we continue to search with air & surface crews, pursuing all leads & saturating the search area. Thank you to this amazing community for their support. Our thoughts are with the families as we continue our efforts.” – Capt. Corrie Sergent, Sector St. Pete CO.

— U.S. Coast Guard Southeast (@USCGSoutheast) December 21, 2025

The family friend said they’re staying positive and confident they’ll be found.

“It’s obviously right before Christmas and we’re so grateful for so many people, literally hundreds of people went on the water today to bring them home and it’s only a few days before Christmas and we’re just really grateful, the outpouring, the love for helping us bring our family members home,” friend Scott Smith said.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Spivey or Billmaier is urged to contact the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at 239-477-1000 or call 911 in an emergency. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through SWFL Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.