VENICE, Fla. — The Coast Guard suspended search and rescue efforts on the Gulf of Mexico on Monday for four men who disappeared over the weekend after they left for a boating trip.
The four boaters vanished without a trace, only leaving their truck behind at the Venice boat ramp and their families grappling with the unimaginable — desperate for answers.
With officials calling off the search, the family of Ruben Mora Sr. is taking matters into their own hands.
10 Tampa Bay spoke with Ruben Mora Jr., who tells us he, along with his cousin, are chartering a private flight out of Venice on Friday, determined to continue the search after it was suspended.
Hope hasn't wavered and the tight-knit community has rallied together, lighting candles and praying for their safe return.
Police are also urging boaters to remain vigilant, as any sighting or information can be critical.
The Coast Guard said weather conditions had been challenging earlier in the week with rough seas, fog and rain, but the family's determination remains unyielding.
Mora's family says they refuse to accept defeat. They say they believe Ruben and the three other men, Angel Hernandez Munoz, 38, of North Port; Julio Cesar Cordero Briones, 37, of North Port; and Alfonso Vargas Parra, 35, of North Port, are all still alive.
The family says that hope persists. The Moras say the plane will take off Friday morning from Venice Municipal Airport, scanning the waters from above. We will keep you updated with the latest as this unfolds.