CLEARWATER, Fla. – A Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg boat crew rescued five boaters after their 32-foot vessel sank 28 miles west of Egmont Key early Friday morning.
According to a news release, the USCG stated that it received multiple mayday calls from boaters around 3:30 a.m. The boater reported taking on water, having five people aboard, and donning life jackets before abandoning ship.
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Roughly 45 minutes later, an aircrew located the boaters near their sunken vessel in 2- to 3-foot seas and 6-knot winds. The aircrew deployed a rescue swimmer and guided the boat crew to the exact location.
“The boaters’ quick decision in donning life jackets and issuing a mayday call gave our crews the critical information and best chances of rescuing them,” Ensign Gaige Garrett, operations unit controller at Sector St. Petersburg, said in a release. “With water temperatures dropping across most of Florida, we urge boaters to dress appropriately for the weather and carry the required safety equipment for their vessel when going out to sea.”
The boaters were found in stable condition and safely transported to awaiting emergency medical personnel at Tierra Verde Marina.