Jacksonville, FL — There is a sign of hope in the search for two firefighters who didn’t return from a fishing trip on Friday. An offshore angler fishing bag was found about 50 nautical miles east of St. Augustine on Monday.
Firefighters from Jacksonville and surrounding agencies are expected back out on the water to search for Brian McCluney and Justin Walker. They left Friday from the Port Canaveral area and haven’t been seen since.
Search teams have covered tens of thousands of square miles of ocean since the weekend.
JFRD is looking for volunteers who have boats capable of searching between 30 and 60 miles offshore safely. The United States Coast Guard searched through Monday night, and since the weekend has surveyed more than 46,000 square miles. The fishing vessel has not yet been located.
“These people are searching in areas from Brunswick all of the way down to St. Augustine and from the beach out about 60 miles,” JFRD Interim Chief Keith Powers said.
McCluney works with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department while Walker works at a fire department in Virginia.
“We’re talking about a decorated combat veteran and we’re talking about a firefighting paramedic,” Powers said.
Stephanie McCluney confirmed the tackle bag belonged to her husband. "I wholeheartedly believe this is a bread crumb they through overboard to say 'we are here, come find us”, McCluney said.