Families of 2 Boys Call Off Search

Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos went missing on July 27
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 9, 2015 5:30 PM CDT
Families of 2 Boys Call Off Search
Julia Wolf, 16, left, and Jordan Harley, right, both of Stuart, Fla., hold candles during a vigil for Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen, Tuesday, July 28, 2015, in Stuart, Fla.   (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The search is over: The families of Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos say there's no point looking anymore, NBC News reports. The two 14-year-old boys vanished July 24 on a fishing trip off the coast of Jupiter, Fla., when summer storms struck the area. The subsequent search involved volunteers, the Coast Guard, and a fund that has raised almost $500,000. But the Coast Guard gave up last weekend, and now the families agree: "Absent new information, continuing the search is not practical," says a family spokesman in a statement. "Today, our hope becomes our prayer—that one day Perry and Austin will be returned to us." The families are creating a charitable foundation that will focus on educating teen boaters and helping them avoid accidents, NBC 5 Florida reports. (More boating stories.)

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