The families of two missing teen boaters in Florida have decided to end their private search after two weeks of no progress. The teenagers, Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, both aged 14, have been missing since July 24.
In a news release last Sunday, the family of the teens made the heartbreaking decision of calling off the search due to "absence of new information and continuing the search is not practical."
The teens were last seen on July 24 when they went fishing on a 19-foot Sea Craft boat from the Jupiter Inlet.
The Unites States Coast Guard found their boat capsized nearly 70 miles off the coast of New Symma Beach on July 26. There is no actual progress after the discovery of their ship, even with the non-stop efforts of the search operations of the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard ended its search on July 30.
The search for the missing teens didn't end with the Coast Guard. The family of the missing teens shifted their own private search to high gear. They started a fundraising campaign to allocate their own search. The estimated expenditure of the search is $40,000-$60,000 a day, for expenses such as food, fuel for the vehicle, and other resources.
The families had an initial goal of $500,000, but lowered it down to $475,000, after re-assessing the expenses. Their online fundraising goal was surpassed as they received a total of $479,985.
Even with the search called off, the families of the two teens still hope for their return.
"We love our boys and want them home. Today, our hope becomes our prayer--that one day Perry and Austin will be returned to us," said the families in a joint statement.
The loved ones of the missing teens are also planning to start a foundation that will help, protect, and educate teen boaters.
