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6 Missing S FL boaters
6 S. Florida boaters go missing on trip to Bimini
Associated Press 7:41 AM EDT, September 24, 2007 MIAMI -- U.S. Coast Guard crews are searching for six boaters in a life raft, after their fishing boat was found 100 miles south of their destination in the Bahamas. Coast Guard Petty Officer James Judge says the 47-foot sports fisher ``Joe Cool'' left Miami for the Bimini islands on Saturday with two passengers and four crew members on board. A relative of one of the boaters reported them missing Saturday night. Petty Officer Judge says the fishing boat was found last night near Cay Sal without its life raft. Cay Sal is about 100 miles south of where the ``Joe Cool'' was headed. |
Looks like a charter boat out of Miami:
(3 of 3) Vessel Name: JOE COOL USCG Doc. No.: 927812 Vessel Service: PASSENGER (UNINSPECTED) IMO Number: * Trade Indicator: Coastwise Unrestricted Call Sign: * Hull Material: FRP (FIBERGLASS) Hull Number: DYW47132A888 Ship Builder: DAVIS YACHTS INC Year Built: 1988 Length (ft.): 47 Hailing Port: MIAMI BEACH FL Hull Depth (ft.): 8 Owner: DEEP SEA MIAMI INC 42 STAR ISLAND MIAMI BEACH, FL 33054 Hull Breadth (ft.): 16 Gross Tonnage: 40 Net Tonnage: 32 Documentation Issuance Date: October 31, 2006 Documentation Expiration Date: October 31, 2007 |
Originally Posted by Jupiter Sunsation
(Post 2282081)
the fishing boat was found last night near Cay Sal without its life raft.
Bummer. :( :( |
Makes you wonder what happened. Way too many things to guess. Was there a distress call logged?
My wife's brother takes his 50 footer to the Bahamas and up and down the west Fl coast like you and I drive to the corner store - sometimes alone. Gives you cause to pause........... |
I would never go "off shore" and leave sight of land unless I had a compass, a GPS, and lots of guns! :eek:
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get ready for "bermuda triangle" stories.,also curious as to the condition of the boat.
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The boat is a fully equipped Buddy Davis sportfish.. Interesting, the $4,000.00 charter fee was paid in cash by a 19 year old from Hialeah.. And the boat was found 100 miles SOUTH of where it was supposedly heading, when the gulfstream flows North..
Oh, and it was found in Cay Sal, but had not cleared customs yet?? I'm waiting for the CG to find a bunch of refugees on one of the Cay Sals awaiting there ride to the promised land... |
Scott B is on to something..............
.S. Coast Guard crews are searching for six boaters in a life raft, after their fishing boat was found just north of Cuba -- 100 miles south of their destination in the Bahamas. Coast Guard Petty Officer James Judge said the ship left the Miami Beach Marina on Saturday. Guillermo Zorabozo, 19, paid $4,000 cash to charter the 47-foot sports fisher "Joe Cool" for a trip to the Bimini islands, officials said. On board were the boat's owner, Jake Branam, and his crew: Kelly Branam, Scott Campbell and Sammy Cary, all of Miami. Authorities did not identify another passenger. A relative of one of the boaters reported them missing Saturday night, Judge said. Authorities used an HC-130 long-range surveillance aircraft, boats and helicopters to scan the ocean. They found the sports fisher early Monday morning, abandoned, with the contents of the boat "thrown about and in complete disarray," Judge said. The occupants and the lifeboat were gone. There did not appear to be any reason to abandon the vessel, Judge said. "It just appears whoever on board, left in a hurry," he said. Coast Guard personnel found the boat near Cay Sal just 20 miles north of Cuba, 100 miles south of their intended destination. That is unusual because the Gulf Stream flows north, Judge said. "Some of the stuff isn't adding up, so it's very suspicious," he said If anyone has any information that could help the search, call the U.S. Coast Guard command center at 1-800-874-7561. "Hopefully, we'll be able to find the people as soon as possible and get them to their loved ones safely," Judge said. |
Originally Posted by Jupiter Sunsation
(Post 2282313)
There did not appear to be any reason to abandon the vessel
Hmmm... |
They have found 2 crew.
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Originally Posted by tanner
(Post 2282341)
They have found 2 crew.
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Yes, Alive that is what they are saying is more suspicious
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WHAT REPORT SAID THAT, NEWS anything new
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Originally Posted by AIR TIME
(Post 2282375)
WHAT REPORT SAID THAT, NEWS anything new
By Andrew Tran Sun-Sentinel.com 10:35 AM EDT, September 24, 2007 U.S. Coast Guard crews have found two of six people reported missing from an abandoned fishing boat found in disarray north of Cuba -- 160 miles fouth of their destination in the Bahamas. Coast Guard personnel on a cutter in the Caribbean Sea were interviewing Guillermo Zorabozo and Kirby Archer, late this morning. The two men were passengers on the boat, which left the Miami Beach Marina on Saturday, Coast Buard Petty Officer James Judge said. A Dolphin helicopter found the men about 10 a.m., 12 miles north of the spot where the Coast Guard found the boat. Judge said the two men were found in its missing lifeboat raft. The four man crew is still missing |
Those Motherfu**ers I hope it is not true, but down here they will do anything get a boat and go to Cuba, Again purley speculation on my part and hope to hell I am 100% wrong.
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So I am to assume that the 2 paying charter boat customers with very little offshore experience are the only two survivors found.
I would speculate serious foul play. These quys must be running drugs, or smuggling immmigrants and needed a boat. They probably realized that the boat was equiped with an emergency beacon and dumped when they realized that the coast guard would be looking for it. Real scum bags. I am a liscenced 100 ton captain and have run many large sport fishing vessels, and would never abandon a perfectly good running or at the very least floating boat unless I had a gun to my head. |
What a shame.
Smuggling has "stepped up" a few notches over the last few months. All of the banks I work with sent out mandates the last few months that they WILL NOT finance Laser, Carerra, Renegade or Avanti powerboats new or used. PERIOD. Why? All of those boats have been seized by USCG & Homeland Security over the last few months. There was also a band new Donzi 32' CC sold in South Florida that got popped a week later (still on the trailer in Miami) by USCG when they busted another ring of smugglers. I would have hoped the Captain would have been more cautious when a 19yr old latin kid pays $4,000 cash and wants to go "fishing". Thats kind of like someone who looks like Osama Binladen comes in and wants to learn how to fly airplanes and wants to focus on take offs and not worried about landings. I know Catmando and all of the liberals will start screaming but profiling works. |
42 Star Island Drive is 2 homes away from Gloria Estefan and down the block from Shaq's fortress.... 14 million might buy you something on the street... home registered to a Jeannette Branam
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Refugee smuggling is a huge industry down here, and has been for several years. At 10k per head, a 47' boat could have made someone a heck of a lot more $$$ than the usual boats stolen for this, Contenders, Renegades, Scarabs, SeeVee's etc that only carry 7 - 10 people at a time. You left coasters have just started seeing the problem in about the last 8 - 9 months.. It WILL get worse over there if you do not get LEO on the same page as we have had to here. And for us it was a major uphill battle..
Prayers for the crew of the boat, hopefully the scumbags just dumped them on an island somewhere... |
WANTED
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT. THEFT OF PROPERTY KIRBY LOGAN ARCHER Photograph taken 2004 DESCRIPTION Date of Birth: October 24, 1971 Hair: Brown Place of Birth: Eyes: Green Height: 6'00" Complexion: Weight: 190 Sex: Male Build: Race: White Occupation: Retail Manager NCIC#: W931764890 Scars/Marks/Tattoos: Aliases: Remarks: Last known address: 2064 AR Hwy 230 Strawberry, AR CAUTION KIRBY ARCHER WAS EMPLOYED AS A CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER AT A WAL-MART STORE IN BATESVILLE, AR. APPROXIMATELY $92,620.66 IN CASH WAS FOUND TO BE MISSING SHORTLY AFTER KIRBY LEFT WORK AT 10:25 PM ON JANUARY 26, 2007. KIRBY IS BELIEVED TO HAVE CONCEALED THE CASH INSIDE MERCHANDISE HE PURCHASED AS HE WAS LEAVING THE STORE. AFTER LITTLE OVER AN HOUR OF LEAVING THE STORE, ARCHER WAS STOPPED BY POLICE IN BONO, AR FOR A TRAFFIC VIOLATION. THE OFFICER DID NOT HAVE KNOWLEDGE YET THAT FISHER WAS A SUSPECT AND WAS RELEASED ON A TICKET. HE WAS DRIVING A BLUE 1991 DODGE CARAVAN WITH ARK. LICENSE #561FGC. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PERSON PLEASE CONTACT THE INDEPENDENCE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT. AT 870-793-8838 |
1 Attachment(s)
Originally Posted by BUIZILLA
(Post 2282519)
Jeannette Branam
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Originally Posted by USCG
According to the Global Positioning System on board the vessel, the Joe Cool made several erratic movements and began heading south about halfway into their voyage.
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This story keeps getting worse:
Joe Branam last saw Jake and Kelley Branam about noon Saturday, when they dropped off their daughter, 3, and 4-month-old son. "Two men chartered them to take them to Bimini and to meet some girls on a mega yacht there," the elder Branam said. Jake and Kelley Branam had plan to catch some swordfish on their return and arrive Sunday to pick up their children, he said |
S Sentinel..
Originally Posted by Sun Sentinel
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Coast Guard finds 2 of 6 missing S. Fla. boaters Captain and three crewmembers still lost By Andrew Tran Sun-Sentinel.com 1:24 PM EDT, September 24, 2007 MIAMI U.S. Coast Guard crews have found two of six people reported missing from an abandoned fishing boat found in disarray north of Cuba -- 160 miles south of their destination in the Bahamas. Coast Guard personnel on a cutter in the Caribbean Sea were interviewing Guillermo Zorabozo and Kirby Archer, late this morning. The two men were passengers on the boat, which left the Miami Beach Marina on Saturday, Coast Guard Petty Officer James Judge said Monday morning. Rescue personnel are still searching for the boat's owner, Jake Branam, 27, and his crew. They include his wife Kelley Branam, 30, Scott Campbell and Sammy Cary, all of Miami. Friends and family are are hopeful they will be found safe, said Joe Branam, Jake Branam's grandfather. "Up to the moment I get that phone call, I'm going to stay optimistic," he said late Monday morning. "I get choked up every time I think about it." Joe Branam last saw Jake and Kelley Branam about noon Saturday, when they dropped off their daughter, 3, and 4-month-old son. "Two men chartered them to take them to Bimini and to meet some girls on a mega yacht there," the elder Branam said. Jake and Kelley Branam had planned to catch some swordfish on their return and arrive Sunday to pick up their children, he said. Zorabozo, 19, paid $4,000 cash to charter the 47-foot sports fisher Joe Cool for a trip to Bimini, Coast Guard officials said. But the crew did not come back as scheduled, prompting a relative of one of the boaters to report them missing late Saturday, Judge said. A Dolphin helicopter found Zorabozo and Archer about 10 a.m. Monday, 12 miles north of the spot where the Coast Guard found the boat. Judge said the two men were found in its missing lifeboat raft. Branam started Sissy Baby Sport Fishing in March, according to his company's Web site at www.deepseainmiami.com. Joe Cool has a television with satellite hookup, two living areas, and has a maximum speed of 29 knots. Authorities used an HC-130 long-range surveillance aircraft, boats and helicopters to scan the ocean. They found the sports fisher early Monday morning, abandoned, with the contents of the boat "thrown about and in complete disarray," Judge said. The occupants and the lifeboat were gone. There did not appear to be any reason to abandon the vessel, Judge said. "It just appears whoever was on board left in a hurry," he said. Coast Guard personnel found the boat near Cay Sal just 20 miles north of Cuba, 100 miles south of their intended destination. That is unusual because the Gulf Stream flows north, Judge said. "Some of the stuff isn't adding up, so it's very suspicious," he said. "Hopefully, we'll be able to find the people as soon as possible and get them to their loved ones safely." Jake Branam has been fishing since age 5 and as a child would stay up late and hang out with fishermen along the sea wall. He comes from a line of fishermen, said Joe Branam, 75, of Miami Beach. "I had to run him inside to bo to bed, but he'd sneak back out when I wasn't looking," his granfather said. The elder Branam said they had talked about preparing for the worst. Jake Branam had a shotgun and pistol with him at all times, he said. "I told him to be careful at night," Joe Branam said. "You just dont go into international waters without being protected... boats have been pirated before." Authorities have asked that anyone with information that could help the search call the U.S. Coast Guard command center at 1-800-874-7561. Copyright © 2007, South Florida Sun-Sentinel |
The two posts below are the latest news on this. My wife and I chartered this boat in July, they took us out and are a great crew. Allison brought in a shark, and we have a picture of her with Scott and the shark. It is disturbing what has happened, we are upset. They live in the Scarface house on Star Island, with their whole family, nice young people.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/brea...ry/248741.html http://cbs4.com/video/[email protected] Lets hope they are Okay. |
Latest update.. Interesting, maybe there is hope..
Search under way after boat crew disappears Story Highlights Two men chartered boat in Miami Beach on Saturday for trip to Bimini Search began when boat didn't return on schedule Sunday Coast Guard found empty boat, then two passengers in a life raft No sign of boat's four-person crew; two passengers being questioned From Susan Candiotti and Rich Phillips CNN MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- The FBI is searching for the four-person crew of a Miami Beach charter boat as part of an investigation into what a bureau spokeswoman called "a possible crime on the seas." Relatives of the crew of the 47-foot charter fishing boat Joe Cool called authorities Sunday evening to say the vessel had not returned as scheduled after being hired Saturday afternoon. Late Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard spotted the boat floating 160 miles south of Bimini with no one on board, its contents in disarray and one life raft aboard. "It looks like whoever was on board left in a hurry," Coast Guard Petty Officer James Judge said. Missing are the boat's captain, Jake Branam; his wife, Kelly; and crew members Scott Campbell and Sammy Cary. A Coast Guard helicopter spotted the boat's second life raft, containing the two men who had chartered it, about 12 miles north of the empty boat and took them to a Coast Guard cutter, where the FBI questioned them. The men have been identified as Kirby Archer and Guillermo Zarabozo. Police said that the men chartered the boat from the Miami Beach Marina for what was described as a planned trip to Bimini. "We're investigating this as a possible crime on the seas," FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela said. Police would not say what, if anything, the two rescued men have said. Investigators are checking to see whether Archer is a 35-year-old fugitive with the same name who has been missing since January, when he allegedly stole more than $92,000 in cash from a Wal-Mart in Batesville, Arkansas. "We want to go on more than a photograph," Orihuela said. Independence County, Arkansas, Sheriff Keith Bowers said that the man wanted in his state is a manager responsible for collecting cash from store registers who allegedly hid some money in a microwave box and then walked out of the store. "That was the last anyone's seen of him," Bowers said. The second man being questioned is Zarabozo, a 19-year-old from Hialeah. Miami TV station WPLG reported the men paid for the charter with $4,000 in $20 bills, saying they were construction surveyors. "I don't think the crew ever made it to Bimini. I think the boat did. I don't think they did," the captain's uncle, Jeff Branam, told WPLG. "I'd like to think they dropped them off somewhere, but I don't know." CNN's Cristy Lenz contributed to this report. |
That is BS.....those two should fry.
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Originally Posted by DaveP
(Post 2282452)
What a shame.
Smuggling has "stepped up" a few notches over the last few months. All of the banks I work with sent out mandates the last few months that they WILL NOT finance Laser, Carerra, Renegade or Avanti powerboats new or used. PERIOD. Why? All of those boats have been seized by USCG & Homeland Security over the last few months. There was also a band new Donzi 32' CC sold in South Florida that got popped a week later (still on the trailer in Miami) by USCG when they busted another ring of smugglers. I would have hoped the Captain would have been more cautious when a 19yr old latin kid pays $4,000 cash and wants to go "fishing". Thats kind of like someone who looks like Osama Binladen comes in and wants to learn how to fly airplanes and wants to focus on take offs and not worried about landings. I know Catmando and all of the liberals will start screaming but profiling works. |
The story definately sounds "fishy". I hope the best for the families.
Reminds me of the guy that dissapeared last year with the Donzi coming back from Bahamas. |
just heard on local radio that they believe that the crew was tossed overboard, but archer and bozo( were heading to cuba according to the gps) were to stupid to operate the boat,we need to bring back public hangings,i am f**King sick over this .
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An awful story for sure. Just saw an update on the news up here in the Boston area. They are speculating that they might have been gay and looking to start a new life in Cuba. What the ???
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The latest:
Here is a video of them bringing the two guys in. It's very sad for me to see the 47' Buddy David being brought in without her Captain. Those MOTHER F*CKERS. I am so damn angry & sad thinking about the last minutes. It makes me think of all the people who I have chatted with when they walk up & start asking me about my Bertram when we are in FL. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...a_tab01.layout Miami Herald: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/brea...y/249200.html/ |
It just gets more and more bizarre.
:mad:
Originally Posted by St. Pete Times
The FBI in Miami has questioned Archer and Zarabozo, but officials so far have been tight-lipped about the case. They towed the Joe Cool to shore and were examining it for clues.
Archer's former wife told the Miami Herald that Archer met Zarabozo, then a boy, at Guantanamo Naval Base where Archer was stationed as a military police investigator in the mid 1990s. Zarabozo's family had apparently tried to leave Cuba by raft and was intercepted at sea and taken to the base, where Archer took an interest in the boy, then 6 or 7 years old. "I think he picked up that boy, and they decided to head to Cuba to start a new life," said Michelle Rowe, Archer's former wife. Rowe divorced Archer in 2005 and Arkansas court records show that their divorce was bitter. She alleged that they moved to Arkansas in December 2003 because Archer was AWOL from the Army, something he later confirmed in his testimony. The AWOL matter was resolved, and he was discharged from the military. Rowe also testified that Archer was gay and that one of his relationships was with a boy who was still in high school. Archer said in testimony that he was not gay. |
Does the United States still use the death penalty in cases of piracy on US flaged vesels??????:mad:
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This story makes me sick also. Is there any way that Satellite images would be available?
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Very sad strory, I hope they are found soon! They say that this Zarabozo is from Hialiah, Fl. That is where our stolen 35Donzi was recovered last month. It was stopped on a traffic stop by a Border Patrol. They had our stolen Donzi sitting on a different stolen trailer pulled by a stolen F350. The guys driving were foriengn, They got arrested that night, Later they were released because they claimed they had been paid 500.00 the move the boat and didn't know anything about it being stolen. I couln't f-ing beleive it. It gives them them the green light to do it again. It will be interesting to hear what kind of BS story these two f-ers that were found in Joe Cool's life boat have to say. They all need to be fried at once :mad: Now, not only boats are coming misssing but good people too. We just keep paying for it emotionally and financially. I wish the best to the familys that are missing there loved ones.
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Very said. Lets hope for a mericle.
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Originally Posted by sakoutis3
(Post 2285529)
Does the United States still use the death penalty in cases of piracy on US flaged vesels??????:mad:
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Just saw on CNN that at least 3 people were shot dead and thrown overboard :(
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Bullsht, I say. What a coincidence??....it just so happens that the crew was killed but the two passangers were let go???
Something's not adding up. Sounds like these two deadbeats had too much time in the liferaft to concoct this little story. MIAMI -- One of the men found adrift at sea said in an affidavit Wednesday that the boat he was aboard was hijacked and that the assailants who took over the boat shot the four crew members. Guillermo Zarabozo, 19, told the Coast Guard during interviews that "unknown subjects hijacked the vessel at sea," then asked him to dump the bodies overboard. Zarabozo and Kirby Archer are being held after being discovered adrift when family members of the chartered crew of the Joe Cool reported them missing Sunday. The Joe Cool was discovered near the Cay Sal banks, some 100 miles south of its destination in the Bahamas early Sunday evening. On Monday, the two men were found about 12 miles from that site on the vessel's life raft. Zarabozo told the Coast Guard the two men were headed to Bimini on the Joe Cool and halfway to Bimini the boat was hijacked. "Upon boarding, the hijackers immediately shot and killed the captain. The hijackers then shot the captain's wife because she was hysterical." Zarabozo claims that one hijacker told a crew member to "throw the bodies over board." That crew member refused and the hijackers shot him. The hijackers then directed the last crew to throw the bodies overboard; however he was shot when he refused. According to Zarabozo, the hijackers directed him to throw the bodies overboard and he complied. Law enforcement aboard the Coast Guard cutter pointed out the Joe Cool and asked Zarabozo if he recognized it. "Zarabozo responded that he did not recognize it" and that he was not on the vessel. The Coast Guard had discovered his identification aboard the vessel. During Archer's interview, the complaint only says that he knew he had a warrant issued for his arrest, so he wasn't able to fly to Bimini. Archer is wanted in Arkansas on charges of stealing more than $92,000 from the Wal-Mart where he worked until he disappeared last January. His picture on a flier from the Independence County (Ark.) Sheriff's Department was discovered by the boat captain's uncle, Jeff Branam, who entered Archer's name on Internet search engine Google. In addition to Zarabozo's Florida idenfitication, the complaint reveals that the search of the boat also unearthed, six marijuana cigarettes, a laptop computer, luggage, clothing, cameras and a cell phone. A handcuff key was also found in the vessels bow. The complaint also states that a substance on the stern of the boat appeared to be blood. They will both be back in court Friday at 10 a.m. The course of incidents began Friday night when Archer and Zarabozo approached the crew of the sportfisher Joe Cool at slip D-30 to hire a ride to Bimini, where they said they were to meet their girlfriends. They agreed to pay $4,000 for the trip. When the charter did not return by its noon Sunday deadline, the family became concerned. Two cutters and two aircraft continue to search for the four crew members still missing. The missing crew are Capt. Jake Branam, his wife, Kelly, crew member and half brother Scott Campbell and Capt. Samuel Kairy. |
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