One boater rescued, one still missing on Lake Okeechobee

The search is still underway for an angler who went missing during a fishing tournament Thursday on Lake Okeechobee.

His co-angler has been found and is in the hospital, and the capsized boat has been recovered.

“He goes as much as possible, he’s an avid fisherman,” pastor Randy Green said.

Green is saddened to hear, his friend, Nik Kaylor, is missing.

“Right now you just trust in the lord and lean on him,” Green said.

A ground and aerial search are underway by local and state agencies, who are searching every inch of Lake Okeechobee for missing angler, Nik Kaylor of Apopka.

According to Fishing League Worldwide, his co-angler Bill Kisiah has been found and is in the hospital in serious condition with hypothermia.

The two fishermen were competing in the Costa Fishing League Worldwide on Lake O.

The men did not return to a designated weigh-in location at C Scott Driver Park.

But search crews found their boat 50 miles away here, at Pahokee Marina, where a boat tow later pulled the vessel out.

Once out the water, the damage could be seen. The backside of the boat torn with pieces missing, and wires hanging out near the boat engine.

Holes were also found on the bottom of the boat.

Law enforcement says there was an incident on the vessel and both men went overboard.

Kisiah was able to climb back on the boat, but not Kaylor.

The fishing tournament was canceled for the day.