WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Coast Guard personnel successfully rescued three individuals from a capsized boat near Captiva Island, Florida, after they had spent nine hours stranded at sea.
A family member raised an alarm at 1 a.m. on Sunday when there was no communication from the boaters since 8 p.m. the previous night. The Coast Guard’s Clearwater helicopter team spotted the stranded boaters clinging to the overturned vessel around 6 a.m. Subsequently, a rescue crew from the Coast Guard station in Fort Myers Beach retrieved the individuals and transported them for medical assessment at HealthPark Medical Center in Fort Myers.
According to the information released by the Coast Guard, the rescued boaters did not report any medical issues resulting from their ordeal at sea, but the cause of the boat’s capsizing remains unclear.
Chief Warrant Officer Dennise Werre from the Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg emphasized the importance of having a “float plan” in place before venturing out onto the water. A float plan should be shared with someone who is not accompanying the boaters, detailing the intended travel route, the number of passengers aboard, and the safety equipment available on the boat.
“We successfully located and rescued the three boaters thanks to the excellent coordination between the Coast Guard and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the use of essential search tools,” commented Werre.
