A Sunday morning venture on the water ended with several people needing a rescue. Five people were forced to cling to the underside of their capsized boat after it sank off the coast of Florida.
The U.S. Coast Guard received a call about an overturned boat. Rescue crews had to make a frantic rescue to save the five people after the sank 11 miles off the coast of Florida. The incident happened around 10:15 a.m. That's when the local sheriff's office contacted the Coast Guard Jacksonville Sector. The sheriff's office learned about the desperate situation of the men.
From there, time was of the essence. The Coast Guard quickly launched a rescue boat from their base in Mayport, Florida. However, they also called in some air support to help the five trapped men as well, As explained in a press release, the Coast Guard activated a helicopter from the maritime agency's station in Savannah, Ga to help in the rescue efforts as well.
Five People Rescued
What they found may not be on the Titanic levels of tragic, but it was still pretty bad. Fortunately, fortune worked in the five people's favor. The boat didn't completely sink underneath the ocean. So the five people climbed atop the capsized boat. They were able to wait on top of the boat until the Coast Guard eventually showed up. This helped them avoid any sharks in the water or tragic drownings.
From there, the Coast Guard quickly rescued them and took them to their relatives in Jacksonville. "While on the water, situations can become unpredictable and dangerous in an instant, so it's crucial to be prepared," Cmdr. Nick Barrow of the Coast Guard Jacksonville Sector said in a statement.
"Having life jackets for everyone aboard your vessel can help save lives by providing essential buoyancy and increasing visibility in the water," Barrow said. "We appreciate the swift emergency communications relay with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office enabling a rapid response to the scene."
The Coast Guard left the capsized boat where it was. The owner plans to salvage it.
