Hopeful: Search for missing firefighters ranges from Port Canaveral to South Carolina
A desperate search for two firefighters with connections to Brevard and Indian River counties will continue as volunteer boaters along with the U.S. Coast Guard span the waters from Florida to the Carolinas for clues to their disappearance.
"We'll continue searching," said Capt. Mark Vlaun, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard's Jacksonville Sector during a televised press conference early Tuesday.
"We remain optimistic but guardedly so," he said, adding that the massive search covering thousands of miles remains a rescue operation and not a recovery effort.
The search for Brian McCluney, 38, a Jacksonville firefighter who grew up in Cocoa, and 33-year-old Justin Walker, a firefighter from Fairfax, Virginia who grew up in Vero Beach, began after the two were reported missing 6 p.m. Friday.
The two set off for a short fishing trip about 11 a.m. Friday from Port Canaveral.
Both men had family and friends in Brevard, Indian River and St. Lucie counties awaiting their return Friday night.
Family members have combed beaches, searching for any signs from the 24-foot Robalo boat that was used for the leisure trip in the fish-rich waters of the 8A Reef about 30 miles to the east of Brevard County.
Coast Guard officials said there were no radio communications or GPS pings from the boat.
One hopeful sign, according to McCluney's wife, was a blue tackle bag found off the coast of St. Augustine, about 50 miles from the shoreline.
“I wholeheartedly believe this is a bread crumb they through (sic) overboard to say ‘we are here, come find us,” Stephanie McCluney wrote on social media about the find.
Stephanie McCluney told cable news anchors Tuesday morning her husband was going on a "short fishing trip with his buddy," Justin Walker, when they left Friday.
When the two didn't return, she called the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard continued its vigorous search effort Tuesday, sending ships and planes from North Carolina and Georgia to Miami to find the two boaters.
More:Search for missing firefighters extends to Jacksonville; Groups asking anyonewith boat to help
Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Dickinson said they're using planes from air stations in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, and cutters and fast response boats from Clearwater and Miami.
The Jacksonville Fire Department where McCluney works has been heavily involved in the search, assisting with organizing a 36-boat rescue operation off the coast in a bid to find the pair.
The Navy, along with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office also are assisting.
Since late Monday, the Coast Guard has covered 46,800 square miles from Port Canaveral to Charleston, South Carolina, over 108 hours.
Volunteers help in search efforts
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department officials set up a command post for volunteers at Mayport Boat Ramp near Mayport Naval Airport in Jacksonville, where fire officials organized search areas and divvied up assignments.
Updates posted to the Facebook accounts of both firefighters' wives, Stephanie McCluney and Natasha Walker, pleaded for volunteers with boats who could venture out 30 to 60 miles offshore to depart from Mayport and scour the St. Augustine area.
More:As thunderstorms moved offshore, special marine warning issued on day two boaters disappeared
"Anybody and everybody from the coast of Georgia to South Carolina, please help us. We need boats on the water. All the way out to the Gulf Stream," said a post on Natasha Walker's Facebook account.
Stephanie McCluney and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department's Scott Jacobs told Fox News channel Tuesday morning that along with boats and planes, money is needed to replace the fuel for both aircraft and vessels. Donations can be made at www.jfrd.com.
Help Find Them! Fund to help find FFs McCluney and Walker
Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.