Father, son found safe aboard sailboat off Fort Myers Beach
COCOA, Fla. (AP) — A Palm Bay man and his son he is accused of abducting have been found safe.
Authorities say the Coast Guard found Paul Martikainen and his 3-year-old son Tuesday morning aboard a 32-foot sailboat. The boat was approximately 140 miles southwest of Fort Myers Beach.
Authorities say that Martikainen was detained, and the sailboat is being towed to Fort Myers Beach. Once in Fort Myers Beach, Martikainen will be taken into FBI custody.
Police had said that witnesses reporting seeing Martikainen and his son, Luke Finch, get in a 32-foot sailboat at a St. Petersburg marina on Saturday. A missing child alert was issued for the boy, whom Martikainen is accused of taking during a supervised visit.
Martikainen’s SUV was located at the marina.