Firefighters' Boat Mystery: What Kind Of Vessel?

In August 2019, two firefighters, Brian McCluney and Justin Walker, went missing during a fishing trip off the coast of Florida. The pair were last seen departing a boat ramp in Port Canaveral in a 22-foot fishing boat. A search operation was launched by the U.S. Coast Guard, who were joined by the Navy, local law enforcement, and around 50 firefighters from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. Despite the efforts of the search party, no sign of the boat or the two men was found.

Brian McCluney and Justin Walker were last seen at Port Canaveral

McCluney, 38, was a Jacksonville firefighter who grew up in Cocoa, near Port Canaveral. Walker, 33, was a firefighter in Fairfax County, Virginia, and grew up in Vero Beach. The two were friends, and Walker had been back home in Vero Beach visiting family for his sister's birthday just two days before the trip.

The boat they used was a 22- to 24-foot fishing boat that belonged to McCluney's father, who had passed away a few weeks before the trip. The trip was meant to be "one big final hoorah for his dad," according to McCluney's wife, Stephanie.

The last images of McCluney and Walker were captured by a surveillance camera at Jetty Park in Port Canaveral on Friday at around 11:30 a.m. The footage shows them backing the white boat with a black top down a boat ramp.

A massive search was launched for the two firefighters, with the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, and various local agencies involved. The search covered over 105,000 miles and included ships and planes from North Carolina to Georgia and Miami. Despite these efforts, no further clues about the firefighters' whereabouts were found, and the Coast Guard eventually suspended the search at sundown on August 22.

The US Coast Guard led the search for the missing firefighters

The US Coast Guard led an extensive search for two missing firefighters, Brian McCluney and Justin Walker, who disappeared during a fishing trip off the Florida coast in August 2019. McCluney, a firefighter from Jacksonville, Florida, and Walker, a master technician for the Fairfax County, Virginia Fire and Rescue Department, were last seen on August 16, 2019, departing on a fishing boat from the 300 Christopher Columbus boat ramp in Port Canaveral.

The US Coast Guard was notified by the families of the missing firefighters when the pair failed to return home that evening. The Coast Guard immediately launched a search and rescue operation, deploying a search plane and several boats. They were assisted by various partner agencies, including the Navy, the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife, and about 50 firefighters from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.

The search area covered a vast expanse, spanning over 105,000 square miles from Port Canaveral to several hundred miles off the coast of New England. This area was determined based on the strength of the Gulf Stream. The Coast Guard and its partner agencies diligently scoured the waters, utilising boats and aircraft in their search.

During the search, an off-shore angular fishing bag belonging to McCluney was discovered by a civilian searcher about 50 nautical miles east of St. Augustine, providing a crucial lead in the search. However, despite the extensive efforts of the US Coast Guard and the assisting agencies, the search for the missing firefighters was eventually suspended due to a lack of new information and a decreased likelihood of success.

The decision to suspend the active search was an extremely difficult one for the US Coast Guard and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, as expressed by Capt. Mark Vlaun and JFRD's Chief Keith Powers. The search for McCluney and Walker captured the attention of the community, with several businesses offering rewards for any information leading to their whereabouts. The wives and family members of the missing firefighters were heartbroken but remained resolute, praying for their safe return and coordinating with search and rescue planners.

The firefighters' families reported them missing when they didn't return

The families of Brian McCluney and Justin Walker, two firefighters from Florida, reported them missing when they didn't return from a fishing trip off the coast of Florida on Friday, August 16, 2019. The pair were last seen launching a 22-foot fishing boat at Port Canaveral, near the Kennedy Space Center, and were expected to return that evening. When they didn't, McCluney's wife, Stephanie, tried to get in touch with him, but her messages hadn't been delivered. She then called the Coast Guard at 8 p.m. that night.

The Coast Guard, along with partner agencies, initiated a search for the two overdue boaters. About 50 firefighters from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department joined the search, combing the waters between Daytona Beach and Vilano in 11 boats over the weekend. Crews from the U.S. Navy, the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Brevard County Sheriff's Office also assisted in the search, with the Coast Guard deploying a C-130 plane to search from the air.

The search for the missing firefighters continued into its fourth day, with a bag belonging to McCluney being found by a civilian searcher about 50 nautical miles east of St. Augustine. The family confirmed that the bag was McCluney's, and search efforts were increased in that area. Stephanie McCluney expressed her concerns and resolve during this challenging time, stating her belief that her husband and Walker were survivors who would find their way home.

A bag belonging to Brian McCluney was found 50 miles from St. Augustine

Brian McCluney and Justin Walker, two off-duty firefighters, went missing during a fishing trip off the coast of Florida in August 2019. They were last seen on Friday, August 16, near Port Canaveral, where they launched a 22- to 24-foot fishing boat.

On Monday, August 19, a civilian searcher found Brian McCluney's fishing bag about 50 nautical miles from St. Augustine. The bag was found approximately 50 miles off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, and about 50 miles east of St. Augustine.

The discovery of the bag led to an increased search effort in the area, with officials asking for anyone with a boat capable of travelling 30 to 60 miles offshore to assist in the search. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and Coast Guard led the massive volunteer search effort, with approximately 37 boats, 6 aircraft, and over 200 people involved.

Brian McCluney's wife, Stephanie McCluney, expressed her concerns and resolve during the search, stating that the trip was meant to be "one big final hoorah" for her husband's departed father. She also shared her confidence in her husband's ability to survive, citing his military and firefighter training.

The search for the missing firefighters covered a vast area, with crews from multiple agencies searching over 24,000 to 105,000 miles of ocean between Port Canaveral and North Carolina. Despite the extensive efforts, the Coast Guard ultimately suspended the search after six full days.

The search for the firefighters covered over 70,000 miles

The search for the two missing firefighters, Brian McCluney and Justin Walker, covered over 70,000 miles. The pair, who were off-duty, disappeared during a fishing trip off the coast of Florida. They were last seen on Friday, August 16, 2019, launching a 22-foot fishing boat at Port Canaveral, near the Kennedy Space Center.

The U.S. Coast Guard, along with partner agencies, including the Navy and Brevard County Sheriff's Office, launched a desperate search for the men. About 50 firefighters from the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department also joined the search, combing the waters between Daytona Beach and Vilano in 11 boats over the weekend.

On Monday, officials had 37 boats and 6 aircraft out searching for the missing men. On Tuesday, helicopters were added to the search. Search-and-rescue crews covered an estimated 4,800 miles of ocean between Port Canaveral and the city of Jacksonville on Sunday, and by Monday this number had increased to 24,000 miles. By Tuesday, crews had searched 13,000 square miles, and by the time the active search was suspended on Thursday evening, they had covered over 146,368 square miles.

The search focused on an area of ocean where a civilian found a bag belonging to McCluney on Monday, about 50 miles offshore of St. Augustine. On Wednesday, searchers found a cooler top in the same vicinity, which they assumed had come from the boat.

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