Pilot may have seen one of missing Florida teens
A pilot searching for two missing Florida teens may have seen debris from their boat and possibly one of the boys shortly after their disappearance in July 2015, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report obtained by FLORIDA TODAY.
Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, both 14, were reported missing on the afternoon of July 24 by their parents after they left for a fishing trip that morning in Atlantic Ocean waters near Jupiter.
According to the FWC report, during the search on July 26, a pilot identified as Bobby Smith was searching for the boys and stated that he saw two pieces of white debris tied together by an orange lifejacket as he flew at an altitude of about 1,000 feet. He then circled the area "three or four" times at 200 feet and said he saw a person lying on the debris and lifting their arms above their head.
Smith obtained the GPS coordinates and climbed to 1,500 feet so he could communicate via radio what he found. When he returned to the coordinates, he was unable to find the debris and person.
Photos from the FWC taken by Smith seem to corroborate his story.
The U.S. Coast Guard was also unable to find anything when a vessel inspected the area. They ended the search on July 31.
On March 18, a Norwegian vessel, the Edda Fjord, discovered a capsized boat about 100 miles off the coast of Bermuda. It was later confirmed to be boat that belonged to Cohen and Stephanos.
The FWC report also showed that Stephanos had spoken with a friend, Ellie Spivey, about going to the Bahamas on July 23. He told the friend, however, that "it was too rough."
Inclement weather impacted the area off the coast of Jupiter on the day of the teens' departure in 2015, potentially playing a role in their disappearance.
James Dulin, a commercial fisherman who was fishing about five miles offshore, said that as the storm moved westward around 2 p.m., he saw 40 boats heading into Jupiter Inlet, presumably to take cover. Dulin said he saw a small boat with two "young people" on board head away from shore around the same time.
Dulin told investigators the "storm was so bad it was blowing his boat around," according to the FWC report.
Pamela Stabley, who called the Coast Guard on July 24, said she "saw the boat rocking like it was going to flip." She said she made the call because in her 18 years of living at the Jupiter Reef Club – where the teens departed – she had never seen anyone out in a boat during periods of intense weather.
Missing Florida teens’ boat and iPhone found near Bermuda
The investigation also showed that the teens were advised that there would be inclement weather later in the day. Cohen was told not to leave the inlet by his mother and stepfather and was told to check in frequently.
Video released by FWC seems to show the pair in their boat near Jupiter Inlet under fair weather conditions on July 24. It is believed to show the last known images of the boys.
Chris Henry of Rockwall, Texas, a passenger on board the Grand Celebration, a Carnival ship, said that he saw a boat with its front sticking out of the water that looked very similar to the boys' boat on Aug. 1 just after 7 p.m. after their boat had departed Freeport about an hour prior.
"It's the same shape," said Henry.
He also said that he saw a debris field before seeing the boat.
“It’s like a debris field came by and then the boat floated by and I stayed out there and watched and watched,” Henry added.
Phone records show that Stephanos' iPhone lost its data connection just prior to the storm's arrival in the early afternoon.
According to the report, Stephanos posted on his Instagram account a photo of him on a boat with the words “Peace out jup," presumably meaning Jupiter. A third party also stated that Stephanos sent a Snapchat message earlier in the day that said “Bahamas Bound.”
Stephanos’ phone was found in the boat during the recovery near the Bahamas.
On Friday, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Gregory Keyser ordered his iPhone 6 to be shipped to Apple after the two boys’ families agreed to allow the company analyze the phone.
The FWC report also included a range of photos and three videos depicting the boat and other belongings, including the recovered iPhone.
Contact Bonanno at 321-242-3662, cbonanno@floridatoday.com or follow Chris on Twitter @FTChrisBonanno