MIAMI -- Two of the six boaters who were missing after their fishing boat was found about 100 miles south of their destination in the Bahamas have been found.
The pair of boaters was rescued Monday morning about 12 miles north of where the boat was found. The names of the rescued are Guillermo Zarabozo and Kirby Archer, who paid $4,000 to charter the trip.
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer James Judge said a 47-foot sportfishing boat named Joe Cool left slip D-30 at the Miami Beach Marina for Bimini, Bahamas, on Saturday afternoon with two passengers and four crewmembers on board. An uncle of one of the crewmembers reported them missing at about 5:45 p.m. Sunday after they failed to return.
Judge said the fishing boat was found abandoned Sunday night about 20 miles north of Cuba in the Nicholas Channel. The boat appeared to be in disarray and was without its life raft, Judge said.
"It looked like whoever had been on the vessel left in a hurry," Judge said.
According to the Global Positioning System on board the boat, the Joe Cool made several erratic movements and then turned south about halfway through the voyage.
Zarabozo and Archer were spotted by helicopter and taken to a Coast Guard cutter.
The names of the missing crewmembers are Capt. Jake Branam, Kelly Branam, Scott Campbell -- Jake Branam's half brother -- and first mate Sammy Cary.
Cliff Buchanan, the creator of Video Charters, said he had plans to work with the crew of the Joe Cool for the upcoming fishing season.
"It's hard to say (what happened)," Buchanan said. "There's so many things that can happen out there. You can get washed overboard, could be piracy, it could be a number of things. I mean, when you're off the boat, it's bad news."
Wayne Conn said it was hard to imagine Jake Branam vanishing at sea. Conn employed Branam when he was with Reward Fishing Fleet.
"For a young man in his 20s, you're not going to find many guys that know what he knew," Conn said. "Not only that, he was an experienced sea tow. He had been through major disasters and saved big yachts and boats. Probably one of the most experienced young guys you'll ever find in the water."
The Coast Guard was interviewing the rescued boaters. The FBI has joined in the investigation.
Copyright 2007 by Local10.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this
report. All rights reserved. This material
may not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.