Coast Guard Suspends Search For Missing Family In Gulf Of Mexico
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ST. PETERSBURG (CBSMiami/AP) — The Coast Guard says the search for a family that disappeared off the west coast of Florida has been suspended.
Ace Kimberly and his three teenage children disappeared Sunday, June 19th, after departing Sarasota for Fort Myers in a 29-foot sailboat. They were last seen on a sailboat in the Gulf of Mexico.
Coast Guard Capt. Gregory Case said at a news conference that the search for the family has been suspended.
LIVE on #Periscope: @USCGSoutheast holds press briefing on search for missing family at Sector St. Petersburg, Flor… https://t.co/VURdojVrGv
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) June 25, 2016
He identified two bodies found as Ace Kimberly and his 17-year-old daughter Rebecca. His two sons remain missing.
A sailboat mast and other items belonging to the family were also discovered.
Oceanographers tell The Palm Beach Post that the gulf's looping currents may be helping the search.
University of South Florida Professor Mark Luther says debris doesn't travel far in gulf waters, whereas anything caught in the Gulf Stream off Florida's Atlantic coast can be carried up to 150 miles a day.
The Coast Guard offered a momentary glimmer of hope when they witnessed a "white flare" signaled for three seconds during their search, however, they were not able to locate anyone.
Authorities were first alerted to the missing family when Ace called his brother to tell him they were struggling with rough weather off Englewood – about 30 miles south of Sarasota.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
