TEQUESTA, Fla. — Crews pushed the limits of an ever-expanding search zone Wednesday for two teens missing at sea and potentially nearing the boundaries of human survival.
The Coast Guard’s relentless hunt for the 14-year-old fishermen, Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, persisted for a sixth day as questions grew over how long it could go. Decision-makers were juggling a mix of “art and science,” Chief Petty Officer Ryan Doss said, trying to balance the knowledge of how long people can survive adrift with the unknowns on whether the boys had flotation devices and drinking water and what their physical condition is.
Still, authorities insisted their search would continue throughout the day.
“There’s been a lot of rumors that the search has been suspended. I just want to refute that,” Capt. Mark Fedor said, speaking on the street where both boys live. “The search has not been suspended. It is still active and open.”
Earlier Wednesday, a U.S. official in Washington had said the Coast Guard was suspending the search.