Coast Guard: 2 missing boaters found

BRADENTON (FOX 13) - Two missing boaters were found Monday morning after they were reported missing overnight. 

The U.S, Coast Guard Southeast says a friend of 33-year-old Thomas Batten and 27-year-old Ryan Killoran called the Coast Guard Station Cortez around 12:10 a.m., saying the two never returned from a fishing trip.

They had reportedly departed from the 59th Street Boat Ramp in Bradenton at sunrise Sunday to fish in the Manatee River for Tarpon.

They stayed through the day, and according to the friend, were last seen around 6 p.m.- when they said they wanted to stay and fish for a couple more hours.

The two never returned.

Monday morning, the Coast Guard sent a helicopter to search the Manatee River by air, and a boat crew to search by water. 

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Manatee County Sheriff's Office and Bradenton Police Department also aided in the search.

They had success around 8:30 a.m., saying they found Batten and Killoran near Venice. 

The men had reportedly run out of gas the night before, and couldn't make their way back.