U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter has weighed in on the search for the three fishermen that disappeared off the coast of Georgia last week.
Carter, whose district includes much of the Georgia coast, posted on his Facebook, "I'm calling on the U.S. Coast Guard to continue searching for the missing boaters off the coast of Brunswick. We cannot stop until every avenue has been explored. Their families deserve resolution."
The owner of the 31-foot fishing vessel Carol Ann told Coast Guard Sector Charleston on Oct. 21 that the three-person crew he hired, identified to be Dalton Conway, Caleb Wilkinson and Tyler Barlow, failed to return on Oct. 19 as scheduled.
"We did manage to get the Coast Guard to send out an additional plane this morning to search farther north in a new area, but they have not committed to anything additional at this time," said Chris Barlow, Tyler's dad in an update to the Savannah Morning News Thursday morning.
According to Chris Barlow, Carter was on the phone in the afternoon and late into the night yesterday with the USCG. Barlow said that he hopes Carter and any other public official involved can get resources to extend their search, which was originally expected to end at sundown Wednesday.
The Savannah Morning News is awaiting comment from the USCG about the status of the search and rescue operation.
On Tuesday, Kim Jones, mother of Barlow, told the Savannah Morning News: "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 also said Tuesday said that Conway is very experienced, but this was only Barlow's fifth trip. Conway and Barlow, who grew up together, are both 24 years old and live in St. Marys. Wilkinson, the other man missing, is also one of their friends and the boyfriend to Conway's sister.
The family of Barlow pleaded for additional resources from the government to find their son and the other two fishermen. Barlow's parents also started a GoFundMe to fund a search independently if private pilots or other people wanted to assist. The GoFundMe has received more than $18,000 as of Thursday. Donations unused for fuel or other search efforts will be donated to a maritime search and rescue organization, according to the GoFundMe.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Georgia lawmaker on missing fishermen: ‘We cannot stop until every avenue has been explored’
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