Search Suspended for 3 Men Who Went Missing While on Fishing Trip Off the Coast of Georgia
Dalton Conway, Caleb Wilkinson and Tyler Barlow were reported missing on Oct. 18 after they failed to return from a fishing trip as expected
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Missing fishermen Dalton Conway, Caleb Wilkinson and Tyler BarlowThe Coast Guard has suspended its search for three Georgia men after they went missing during a fishing trip off the Georgia coast.
During the search for Dalton Conway, Caleb Wilkinson and Tyler Barlow, the Coast Guard said "crews searched more than 94,000 square miles, an area larger in size than the states of Georgia and South Carolina combined, over the span of seven days," the agency announced on Thursday.
"Despite the unwavering dedication of our crews, regrettably, we have not been able to uncover any traces of the vessel and have made the difficult decision to suspend the search for three beloved family members,” said Capt. Frank DelRosso, commander of Coast Guard Sector Charleston.
The trio were reported missing after the owner of the 31-foot fishing vessel said the crew he hired had not returned on Oct. 18 as expected, the Coast Guard said in a previous release.
The owner of the Carol Anne previously said the crew sometimes "extends fishing trips to maximize their catch," but that he decided to report them missing after "growing concerned" about not having had any communication with them for six days.
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Although Dalton and Tyler regularly took these kind of trips, the outing was a first for Caleb, Stevie Conway, Dalton’s sister and Caleb’s girlfriend, previously told CBS affiliate WJAX-TV.
Two people reported seeing the Carol Anne on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, according to First Coast News.
However, the communication device onboard the boat has been down since Saturday, WJAX-TV reported.
Related: 4 Missing Divers Found Floating Less Than 50 Miles from Cape Fear, N.C., Coast Guard Says
In Thursday's release, DelRosso said that "our heartfelt gratitude to our partner agencies and the countless volunteers who have lent their assistance in this arduous search, Undoubtedly, they, like us, share in the deep sympathy we hold for the families of the missing individuals."
But some family members of the boaters are outraged that the agency has now called off the search.
"With utmost respect we do not feel that a search and rescue mission ends until these three young men are found or any type of evidence," Kimberly Jones, the mother of Tyler Barlow, wrote on Facebook on Friday. "We will not give up."
Barlow's father told First Coast News he believes the coat became disabled and was swept to the north — and that the family is holding out hope they’ve been able to survive.
“Tyler will not stop fighting, I don’t think Caleb or Dalton will either,” Barlow’s father told the outlet. “Their chances of survivability are extremely great. We just have to find them.”
Before the search was called off, loved ones had started a GoFundMe campaign to support the search for the missing men. As of Friday morning, more than $6,000 had been raised.
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