On February 17, 2024, Angel Hernandez Munoz, 38, and three companions, Ruben Mora Sr., 54, Julio Cesar Cordero Briones, 37, and Alfonso Vargas-Parra, 35, embarked on a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico from which they would not return. The four men, all described as experienced fishermen, set out from the Marina Park Boat Ramp in Venice, Florida, at approximately 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning. They were aboard a white 1995 23-foot Sportcraft motorboat with the registration sticker FL9937HC. When the men did not return as planned later that day, their families reported them overdue.
The following morning, Sunday, February 18, the Venice Police Department was contacted after the men's vehicle and boat trailer were discovered at the boat ramp. This initiated a large-scale search and rescue operation coordinated by the U.S. Coast Guard. The extensive search involved multiple agencies, including the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, Sarasota Police Department, Manatee County Sheriff's Office, and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission, among others. Search crews on boats and in aircraft scoured the Gulf of Mexico, extending their search from Stump Pass to Longboat Pass and as far as 80 miles offshore.
Weather conditions on the day of their departure were initially described as not rough, though fog was present, and the weather reportedly worsened from Saturday into Sunday, with waves reaching four to six feet at times. Despite the comprehensive search efforts, no sign of the men or their boat was ever found. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended the active search on the evening of Monday, February 19, pending any new information.
The disappearance has had a profound impact on the families and community of the missing men. Three of the men, Angel Hernandez Munoz, Julio Cordero Briones, and Alfonso Vargas-Parra, were employees of Safety Harbor Builders on Gasparilla Island. Family members expressed their deep concern, noting that Ruben Mora Sr. was diabetic and in need of medication. In the weeks following the official search's suspension, the families reportedly continued their own search efforts, refusing to give up hope. The Venice Police Department later released a video of the four men on the morning they departed. The case remains unresolved, with the four men and their vessel believed to be lost at sea.
Last Seen: Feb 17, 2024
