Boat of Missing Florida Teens Is Gone

Coast Guard initially found it capsized, but it's since been lost at sea
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 4, 2015 6:26 PM CDT
Boat of Missing Florida Teens Is Gone
Perry Cohen, left, and Austin Stephanos, both 14, remain missing.   (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)

If authorities hoped to use the recovered boat for clues on why two 14-year-old boys went missing off the coast of Florida, they're out of luck. Though it was found capsized on July 26, the boat itself is now lost at sea, reports NBC News. A Coast Guard diver examined the boat that day but didn't secure it, and it was gone by the time a salvage crew got to the site about 12 hours later.

A Coast Guard official explains that authorities were more focused on trying to find Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen, both 14, than attending to the boat. The Coast Guard officially called off its search for the boys on Friday, though smaller operations continue. For example, dogs are searching the coastal areas of Georgia, reports WPTV. (More boat accident stories.)

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