Coast Guard searches for two missing Naples boaters near Biscayne Bay

Reporter: Taylor Smith Writer: Derrick Shaw
Published: Updated:
FILE PHOTO: A Coast Guard Station Los Angeles 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew conducts tactical boat training in the Los Angeles Harbor Oct. 28, 2015. The crews perform the training every six months to maintain proficiency and assess capabilities. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Sondra-Kay Kneen)

A Collier County man and woman are missing off Florida’s east coast. Investigators said a storm hit and flipped over their boat. Tonight, one of their friends, also from Southwest Florida, is recovering in Miami after a daring rescue.

The US Coast Guard and FWC continue to search for boaters that were reported missing Sunday. They launched from Caribbean Club in Key Largo, Thursday.

At 9:30 p.m., Sunday, Coast Guard Miami received a notification from a good Samaritan vessel and crew saying they recovered a person in the water in Biscayne Bay.

The good Samaritan’s transferred the person to a Miami Fire Boat, who confirmed the man was one of the missing three boaters Adrian D. Jomolca, 31, of Naples. The Miami Fire Boat crew took him to Jackson Memorial Hospital for further medical care.

Jomolca was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital for exposure to natural elements. On Monday, at 8:09 a.m., the capsized vessel was located in Biscayne Bay and recovered by FWC.

Jomolca stated he and the other two people encountered a storm, which capsized their vessel Friday. The survivor began to swim for help while the other two boaters remained with the capsized vessel with life jackets on.

Two additional occupants of the 23-foot Blue Proline were, Ylianet Y. Hernandez, 26, and Luis R. Engroba, 35, both of Naples, remain missing. FWC continues to assist in the ongoing search efforts.

All of the members of the FWC want to express our sincere sympathies to the victims and families of the victims involved in this incident.

Kaci Thoman, a West Marine specialist, said as the search extends it becomes more disheartening.

“I’ve lost family and everyone has at some point and nobody wants to have to go through that,” Thoman said. “You know? It’s sad.”

James Marenakos, a Naples resident, is hoping for help from a higher power.

“Our prayers will be with them,” he said. “Really, this is a terrible thing.”

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