KEY WEST, Fla. – Coast Guard crews from Air Station Miami located an aground 14-foot Catamaran with two men and one woman aboard Sunday morning.
Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Key West Command Center received a report at approximately 3:30 a.m., Sunday, of a vessel that ran aground near Big Pine Key, Fla. The reporting source, aboard the Catamaran, stated that they were cold and wet and were unsure of their exact GPS position. Search-and-Rescue coordinators were able to retrieve the vessel’s coordinates through the crewmembers cell phone provider.
The Coast Guard launched two MH-65 rescue helicopters from Air Station Miami and a small boat from Coast Guard Station Marathon, who arrived on scene with the vessel to assess the situation. Since the vessel was aground in an area too shallow for the Coast Guard small boat to respond, the Coast Guard helicopter safely hoisted all three persons from the aground Catamaran.
After completing the hoist, the aircrew took all three persons to Lower Keys Medical Center, Key West, Fla., where they were treated for cold weather exposure.
