The U.S. Coast Guard has found four Central Florida boaters who went missing on Tuesday near Key West. The boaters are in good condition, the Coast Guard said.
David Thompson and his son, Joshua Thompson, are from Orlando. Adam Kelly, the son-in-law of David Thompson, is also from Orlando. The youngest boater, Evan Thompson, is from Gainesville.
The group left Banana Bay Resort Tuesday and set out to snorkel north of Key West, the Coast Guard said.
The Coast Guard found the boaters around 3:40 p.m. Wednesday 40 miles northwest of Key West.
"The important take away is this family filed a float plan," said Cmdr. Clint Prindle, chief of response for Coast Guard Sector Key West. "They told family members where they were going and when they would be back. When they didn't return, a family member contacted us, and we immediately began our search efforts. However, we always recommend boaters carry an electronic position indicating radio beacon, also known as an EPIRB. When activated, an EPIRB alerts us immediately of distress and provides us with an exact location of a boater. It removes the search from a search and rescue effort."
The group was scheduled to return before 4 p.m. A family member contacted the Coast Guard in Key West at 6:30 p.m.