VENICE, Fla. — The families of four missing boaters say they're desperate for help after the Coast Guard prematurely suspended its search for their loved ones.
"It was too soon," said Ruben Mora Jr., whose father is missing. "There should've been more time."
Police said Ruben Mora Sr., Angel Hernandez Munoz, Julio Cesar Cordero Briones and Alfonso Vargas Parra left in a boat from Venice around 8 a.m. Saturday with plans to return that evening.
When they didn't come back, the Coast Guard began searching the area by boat and plane. The search was suspended Monday night with the Coast Guard telling families they had exhausted all options.
Now, those family members are pleading for anyone with boats, planes or other resources to step in and keep searching.
"100% my dad is alive," Ruben Mora Jr. said Tuesday afternoon. "He's out there. I know for a fact he's there."
Ruben and his brother, Juan Raul, explained that their dad is a master fisherman and experienced boater who is very familiar with the waters in our surrounding area. They believe the missing boat has now drifted as far south as Miami or Key West and hope the search can expand to that area.
The brothers said it feels like they're "living a nightmare" after having buried their younger brother two weeks ago and their grandmother three months ago.
"We're running out of time," Ruben said. "We're just desperate at this point."
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Angel's mother said in Spanish that she could feel in her heart that her son and his three friends were still alive. Angel's stepdaughter, Danna Corona, said she feels the same way.
"We know that they're alive. We just can't give up," she said. "They're still out there. We jsut gotta bring them home."
The missing boat is a 1995, 23-foot white SportCraft with registration No. FL9937HC.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Venice Police Department Detective Courtney Zak at 941-486-2444 or email czak@venicfl.gov.