Mother of missing sailor speaks out as crews continue search efforts

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JAMESTOWN, R.I. (WLNE): The mother of a missing sailor spoke to ABC6 News as crews continue to search for her son and another male out at sea. 

Lisa Disaia, the mother of Ryan Hollis, is staying positive and calls her son an adventurous guy. 

“I feel he’s safe and that’s a mom’s intuition,” Disaia said. 

Ryan Hollis, 40 and Joshua Kane Cairone, 39, left from Jamestown on Oct 23rd and were headed to Miami.

“I got a text message from him Wednesday around 3:30 and it was a photo of dolphins,” Disaia said. “I said well usually dolphins are a sign of good luck! Enjoy your adventure Ryan. He texted me back that he loved me and I texted him that I loved him more. And that’s the last I heard.”

Hollis just accepted a job in Miami, which is why he took the trip to bring his sailboat. He was supposed to call his girlfriend Friday when he arrived in Norfolk, Virginia. She never heard from him, prompting her to call the Coast Guard. 

“They are looking into everything like what kind of equipment he had on the boat for emergency response,” Disaia said. ” They are trying to put together a puzzle and we’re all trying to help them.”

The Coast Guard has expanded its search to a 200-mile radius around Norfolk. 

Disaia said her son has been living on his sailboat for 2 years and sails around Rhode Island regularly.  It is a 43 ft Benneteau named Carol K. However, his mother said he never has made a trip like this one. 

“Right now I haven’t really hit the panic button yet – he could just be on one of his adventures. But it’s a little scary not knowing where he is,” Disaia said. 

©WLNE-TV/ABC 6 2019