TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Search teams continue to search the coast for 45-year-old Chris Butler after he was last seen archery Thursday.
Saturday night marks more than 48 hours since Butler was last seen; several agencies, volunteers and dependents keep looking.
The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office says Butler was missing around 3:30 a.m. Thursday when a storm separated him and his friend from their boat. Only one of them made it to shore.
“We immediately notified FWC that we had another missing scalloper in the water that was not found, and at that point it became a search and rescue mission that has been going on ever since,” said Jeffrey Yarborugh, Wakulla County’s Public Information Office The sheriff’s office said.
Butler’s family say he has just recovered from a severe attack of COVID-19; They fear it may have affected his swimming.
“He just got back to work last week and decided to go to Scallop on Thursday afternoon, but a storm came up and washed the boat out and we’ve been looking for Chris ever since,” said Lance Harrison, a family member.
Due to the tides and currents, the search teams have expanded their monitoring.
“Right now the search is concentrated east of the St. Mark lighthouse. The other swimmer was near Stony Bayou, so the search is more focused on Steinhatchee that way, ”Yarbrough said.
The family tells WCTV that they value the efforts of law enforcement agencies.
“We got a lot of help from FWC which was great,” said Harrison. “The Wakulla County Sheriff’s Department, the helicopters were out, it was a huge hassle for everyone. We even had the drone task team. “
They enjoy looking back on their memories with Butler.
“The good thing was because of COVID, they were around him because he couldn’t work and they had a good family time. And we hope this won’t be the last time they will have a family, ”said Harrison.
Butler was last seen wearing red, white, and blue swimming trunks, along with a mask and snorkel.
Law enforcement say the search will continue along the coast and up to 25-30 miles.
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The post FWC, WCSO are searching for missing boaters off St. Marks first appeared on Daily Florida Press.
from Daily Florida Press https://dailyfloridapress.com/fwc-wcso-are-searching-for-missing-boaters-off-st-marks/
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