The family of Tyler Barlow is pleading for additional resources to find their son and two other fishermen who have been lost at sea for more than a week.
Kim Jones and Chris Barlow, Tyler’s parents, believe the search area could be considerably larger and more resources could be devoted to the search.
"We just need to keep the search going," Jones said. "We don't want this search to end, because we do firmly believe that God has got them and they're just out there floating and drifting."
The owner of a fishing vessel named Carol Ann told Coast Guard Sector Charleston on Oct. 21 that the hired three-person crew, including Barlow, Dalton Conway and Caleb Wilkinson, failed to return on Oct. 19 as scheduled. The Coast Guard and Georgia Department of Natural Resources have been searching for the vessel and crew.
Barlow's parents started a GoFundMe to fund fuel for people that have personal planes and may want to assist in the search.
"We had another boat contact Kim that had actually been headed in this direction from further up north, and I believe Saturday evening, the winds and currents were really strong, and they actually got pushed out 230 miles offshore," said Chris Barlow, Tyler's dad.
According to Chris Barlow, they were supposed to meet with the Coast Guard at Brunswick on Oct. 24 at noon, and they were going to call the search at sunset, but the Navy provided additional resources and they've extended the search until Oct. 25 at sunset.
"We're praying that the Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy doesn't stop this, but if they were to stop this, we're not giving up," Jones said.
Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Ronnie Dickinson said that the search area itself is being extended, and they're exhausting all of the efforts in one possible spot before moving outwards.
"The Coast Guard and crews are out there, basically searching every area they possibly can,” Dickinson said. “But right now, there's no plans to suspend the search and rescue operation and it's one that we remain hopeful about."
Jones said that Conway is very experienced, but this was only Tyler's fifth trip. Conway and Tyler are both 24 and live in St. Marys. They also grew up together. Wilkinson, the other man missing, is also one of their friends and the boyfriend to Conway's sister.
"Tyler loves to fish," Jones said. "He loves spending time on the water, he loves cars, he just has a huge heart and loves his family. He loves to have a good time and loves living life."
Barlow said, personally, he's not concerned about how he feels or how he's handling the situation, he's just worried about how Tyler is holding up.
"We're praying, we're praying," Jones said. "We have a big, bold God that can do miracles and we're all coming together and praying that our God is going to do a big miracle and bring these boys home."
Barlow said in an update the Coast Guard gave him Tuesday morning, a plane that the Navy has sent is searching for new areas further south on the Georgia-Florida border because some of their models show that as a possibility.
A helicopter that had been previously involved in the search went out late Oct. 23 and early Oct. 24 and searched a very tight pattern right off of Savannah.
"There was a possible flare sighting in that area last night, but nothing found in those helicopter searches and that was 20 to 30 miles offshore," Barlow said.
Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter for Chatham County municipalities for Savannah Morning News. You can reach her at dambus@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Family of fisherman missing off Georgia coast says ‘we’re not giving up’
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