After a very long night for both Thomas Batten, Ryan Killoran and their family and friends, the two missing boaters have been found safe and sound.
Batten, 33, from St. Petersburg and Killoran, 27, from Bradenton, were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after the two had had run out of gas during a fishing trip on Manatee River, near Bradenton after an attempted fishing trip for tarpon.
The boaters had last been seen at 6.pm. after dropping off Killoran’s fiance at the 59th Street Boat Ramp in Bradenton before heading back out for two more hours.
Reported missing at 12:10 a.m., the men had become stranded on an island near Venice after they ran out of gas. They were unable to contact anyone to inform them about their misfortune due to their phones dying.
#Breaking @USCGSoutheast searching for 2 missing boaters in the Manatee River, Fla. More>>https://t.co/DNALZ8h5m9 pic.twitter.com/U3kpLsAI2v
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) May 2, 2016
A Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched Monday morning and was aided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Bradenton Police Department.
The search proved successful around 8:30 a.m. when Batten and Killoran were found and rescued.
