

Cohen reportedly asked his step-father that night if he could borrow his GPS to use on Stephanos's boat. Come with us, we wouldn't check in." Another friend reportedly spoke to Stephanos about traveling to the Bahamas prior to their departure with Stephanos saying that the weather was too rough. On July 23, 2015, Cohen sent a message to another friend via Instagram that read "Me and Austin are crossing to the Bahamas tomorrow. About a week prior to the boys disappearance, Stephanos had been stopped by a Marine Patrol Officer for a routine check, and all safety equipment mandated by Florida law was aboard the boat.

Stephanos's grandfather told reporters that his grandson had operated the boat about twenty times and that family members were comfortable with him operating the boat. The two boys would routinely check in with their parents, every couple of hours. Background Ĭohen and Stephanos were avid fishermen and would go fishing at an area not far offshore. Perry Cohen (born January 30, 2001) and Austin Stephanos (born December 1, 2000) were two fourteen-year-old friends who vanished during a fishing trip on Jin Tequesta, Florida.
