Search suspended for firefighters lost at sea; family members press ahead

Jacksonville, FL — “We thank all those that gave in our furious search for our brothers”. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department delivered that message to the community following the suspension of the week-long search for JFRD’s Brian McCluney and Fairfax County, Virginia firefighter Justin Walker.

The U.S. Coast Guard and partner agencies searched more than 146,000 square miles for over 281 hours since last Friday.

Coast Guard Capt. Mark Vlaun said on Thursday they had reached a point where computer models analyzing the areas that already have been searched show there's no reasonable chance further searching will result in success.

“When we suspend a search we never stop operating. The Coast Guard remains and we will remain ready, relevant and responsive and we will have Cutters underway tomorrow. We will have aircraft underway”, Vlaun said.

Both the Coast Guard and JFRD Interim Chief Keith Powers said they are heartbroken for what the families have had to endure since Friday.

The Coast Guard and scores of volunteers began looking for the firefighters after McCluney and Walker were supposed to have returned to Cape Canaveral.

Three businesses announced they’re offering a reward of up to $30,000 to anyone who finds the missing boaters. A fund has been set up through the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department to raise money for the search effort and eventually the families of McCluney and Walker.

JFRD has been asking for donations to the search effort and the families, with tens of thousands of dollars reportedly raised so far.