Family asks for public's help on missing Fla. teens

MIAMI - The search area for two Jupiter, Florida, teens who vanished Friday after going on a fishing trip has been expanded, and their families are asking the public to help in the hunt as well.

The U.S. Coast Guard has searched 28,127 nautical square miles in the 72 hours for Perry Cohen and his friend Austin Stephanos who were last seen taking off on a 19-foot fishing boat during bad weather, reports CBS Miami. The two were possibly heading for the Bahamas from Jupiter.

On Sunday their capsized boat was found miles off Daytona Beach. There was one life jacket floating nearby.

Perry's mother Pamela said she's not giving up hope that her son and Austin will be found.

"We are 100 percent completely faithful that the boys are out there and we are committed to the search in finding them," said Pamela Cohen.

Cohen said despite their young age both of the boys are experienced boaters, who know how to survive. She believes they used a cooler from the boat and life jackets to make a float.

The families have begun distributing flyers around Florida, asking people on the beach to keep an eye out for debris that may have come from the boys' boat.

"At the time this incident happened, that forced the boat to capsize, they used their heads, they are smart and they are working to stay for us to come to get them," said Cohen.

Tuesday morning three Coast Guard cutters and a plane continued to search for the missing teens. The search area was expanded overnight. It now extends from Cape Canaveral to Savannah, Georgia with the main focus on the waters off Jacksonville.

While the Coast Guard search the ocean, family and friends of the missing teens are combing the beach for boat debris, a yeti cooler or engine cowling.

Monday night hundreds gathered at the Jupiter Inlet where they released lanterns with flames in them. They see it as a light to show the boys the way home.

"Hopefully the lanterns will fly far enough and they'll be able to see them and know we're still looking for them - that we need them to come home," said friend Isabella Murgio.

While conditions can be rough in the open ocean, the Coast Guard said the boys can hang on for a few days.

"We go by survivability tables. In the warm water, you can survive for quite a few days. Even four to five days in these conditions," said Coast Guard Petty Officer Steve Lehman.

That's a relief to family and friends who believe the boys will come home, but realize time is not on their side.

"I'm confident, but you have to look at the fact, how many days can they do in the water with out food or water," said the boys' friend Matthew Levalle.

If you would like to aid in the rescue, the families have created "The Perry & Austin Rescue Fund" which will be utilized to fund private aircraft, boat fuel and any other additional resources needed for the immediate recovery of these missing boys.

Should there be any surplus funds at the conclusion of the search and rescue efforts, they will be directed to aid in similar activity that will benefit saving lives in related situations.

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• Florida