Day 6: No Sign Of Missing Jupiter Teens

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - By air and sea, the search continues for a pair of Jupiter teens who vanished during a fishing trip.

Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, both 14, were last seen Friday as they headed out into the Atlantic in a 19-foot center console boat. Their boat was found capsized on Sunday, miles off the coast of Daytona Beach.

Wednesday night friends held a fund raiser to help raise money for the families private search efforts.  The families stopped by to thank supporters. "I will never give up," said Austin's mom Carly Black. "Just like austin would never give up."

Perry's step father said he's not giving up either. "They've been out there a long time," said Nick Korniloff, "but we believe they're out there and we're going to bring them home."

Just before noon there was some confusion when the Associated Press put out that the search had been suspended. The information, they said, came from one of their sources.

The Coast Guard immediately denied that it had been suspended and posted the following tweet.

#breakingnews the search for missing 14 YOs is an open and active search-and-rescue effort. This case has not been suspended.

— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) July 29, 2015

The Coast Guard, along with boats and planes from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, Customs and Border Protection, Flagler County Sheriff's Office, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, have searched nearly 31,000 nautical square miles of the ocean, from South Florida to South Carolina, with no sign of the boys.

The families, in cooperation with the Coast Guard, are also running a massive private search. It's grown to more than 20 planes.

"I haven't gotten any sleep. I've just been like non-stop thinking about it. I can't imagine what his family is going through, both families, it must be so hard. I'm just really nervous just waiting to hear back from them," said Matthew Lavallee, a friend.

Friends have been stopping by the families' home to lend support to the teens' families. They are all trying to remain positive and hope for the best—despite all the time that's passed.

"They're strong kids, they're good at boating. They know that water better than anybody else out there," said Peyton Schoor, a friend.

Perry's family said the teens were not supposed to leave the inland waters. That's something Perry and Austin's friends think of as they wait, hoping they'll see their friends again.

"Listen to your parents; don't go out of your restrictions. We're not allowed to go out of the inlet. We can go anywhere else, we won't break that now," said Schoor.

On Tuesday the Coast Guard received a tip of a "floating object or person" near Tybee Island, Georgia. A search of the area came up empty. A second search is being conducted Wednesday.

Boaters from South Florida through South Carolina have been urged to stay alert and look for anything that could be related to the boys' boat.

"We continue to search for the missing boys," said Capt. Mark Fedor, chief of response for the Coast Guard 7th district. "We're constantly reevaluating the situation to determine our next course of action, however as each hour goes by, the situation becomes dire."

Cohen's mother Pamela posted on Twitter Wednesday that they remain optimistic that the teens are alive and will be found.

Never give up!!! Our boys are so strong -- KEEP THE FAITH!!! We are coming to get you!!! WE MISS YOU… https://t.co/4pSg9QT4YQ

— PAMELA COHEN (@PERMINAK) July 29, 2015

Austin's father, Blu Stephanos, a pilot, is assisting in the search. He said looking for his own son is exhausting and emotional.

"You talk about a needle in a haystack!" he said, "that's what we're looking at. It's probably the worst feeling I have ever had in my life. But I'm out there. I am trying. I'm putting every effort I got."

On Wednesday they asked volunteer pilots to search South, Southeast and Southwest of where the Coast Guard was concentrating their search as to not interfere with them.

The families have set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for the private airplanes, boat fuel and any other sources used in the search. For those interested in donating, click here.