CHARLESTON, South Carolina — Despite the U.S. Coast Guard suspending the search for missing firefighters Brian McCluney and Justin Walker at sundown Thursday, representatives with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said they’ll continue their search through the weekend.
According to Lt. Angus MacBride with the SCDNR, the agency used two 28-foot multi-engine boats and the agency’s aircraft Wednesday. The aircraft covered about 50 nautical miles offshore stretching from Charleston to the Savannah River.
MacBride said they used more boats and the aircraft Thursday, and plan to search through the weekend weather permitting. He said they’ll search as far north as Little River near the North Carolina border, and as far south as Savannah.
“The Atlantic Ocean is very big," he said. "You never want to give up hope. We’ve got the assets and the ability to do so, so we’re going to utilize those assets as best we can. It’s important to all of us that live along the coast we share the feelings of the people in Florida here in South Carolina."
According to MacBride, they would utilize the same resources for a civilian.
“We of course would treat this no different than if they were commercial fishermen or recreational fishermen from any area," he said. "It doesn’t concern us that they’re not from South Carolina. It doesn’t concern us that they don’t wear the same uniform. What concerns us is that there could be an opportunity for us to develop some sort of evidence for us to bring closure."