Tragedy averted off the Florida coast

Dramatic rescue: Seven saved from capsized boat off Florida coast

A tragedy off the Florida coast has been averted thanks to quick actions of the U.S. Coast Guard and local first responders.

Four adults and three young children were rescued after being thrown into the water by their capsized boat.

CBS News correspondent Vicente Arenas reports the call for help came in around 10:15 Saturday morning.

A wife of one of the men on board alerted the Coast Guard to the trouble off shore.

"They were capsizing," recalled U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Grant Lacy. "The husband was able to make a phone call before going into the water, and he said send the Coast Guard."

The group was fishing about 5 miles south of Sanibel Island, just off Florida's Gulf Coast.

Their engine stalled in choppy seas and the boat capsized. A cell phone signal helped rescuers pinpoint their exact location.

The two 5-year-old children were seen huddling with an adult on the boat's overturned hull. The 4-year-old clung to floating debris with two other adults.

Apparently one child was stung by a jellyfish.

A fire department vessel was the first to arrive at 10:58 am. Rescuers tossed life preservers to the group floating in the water and pulled them to safety.

Next, a life preserver was thrown toward the people still on the boat. One of the adults grabbed it and swam back to help the others.

It took just 10 minutes for rescuers to pluck everyone out of the water.

The boaters, who were not identified, spent about an hour in open water some 30 feet deep. They were all wearing life jackets, and no injuries were reported.

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.