Dalton Conway, Caleb Wilkinson and Tyler Barlow.Photo:GoFundMe
GoFundMe
The families of three fishermen who have beenmissing at seafor over a month have officially suspended their search.
Dalton Conway, Caleb Wilkinson and Tyler Barlow were reported missing after they did not return from their fishing trip off the coast of Georgia as scheduled on Oct. 18,according to a previous news release from the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Coast Guardpreviously suspended its searchfor the three Georgia men and their boat, the Carol Anne, about a week later. But family members vowed to continue the search for their loved ones.
On Tuesday, Tyler’s father, Chris Barlow,announcedthat the families agreed to suspend their search for the men as well, noting they “exhausted every lead” they had.
“We are all so very proud of our boys, they united our community and beyond and have shown us what it truly means to love others," Chris wrote.
The Coast Guard said crews searched more than 94,000 square miles before the search for the missing fishermen wassuspendedin late October.
Afterward, Tyler’s mother Kimberly Jones shared a Facebook post that said she and other family members would “not give up” on looking for their loved ones.
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“With utmost respect we do not feel that a search and rescue mission ends until these three young men are found or any type of evidence,” she wrote in the post.
On Nov. 19, a fish box and buoy balls belonging to the Carol Ann werefound 16 miles off the coastof St. Augustine, according to an announcement from the United Cajun Navy, a non-profit group based in Florida.
A possible life raft was spotted that same afternoon, but according to a Facebook post from Tyler’s father,it was not found.
The families suspended their search Tuesday afternoon, 45 days after the fishermen left Brunswick, Ga., on the Carol Ann. In his statement, Chris said the families were grateful for everyone who lent a helping hand during their time of need.
“We know this was a long and exhausting search,” he said, adding, “We will never be able to express how grateful we truly are.”
Though the search is currently over, Tyler’s father asked people “to keep a lookout when they are visiting beaches or boating for anything that may help us put the remaining pieces of this horrific puzzle together.”
“Leading the search for Tyler, Dalton and Caleb has been the hardest thing we have ever done in our lives and something no parent should ever have to do,” Chris wrote.
source: people.com
