BRADENTON, Fla. – The Coast Guard rescued four people near Tidy Island, Fla., Sunday.
Search and rescue controllers at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg were notified by emergency dispatch at 8:30 p.m., Sunday, of a man reporting his vessel had capsized near Tidy Island, Fla. The man reported he had swum ashore but four people remained clinging to the overturned vessel.
A boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Cortez launched in a 25-foot Response Boat-Small and arrived on scene at approximately 8:50 p.m. The rescue crew located a 17-foot Wellcraft Boat, capsized, with four boaters clinging to the hull. The boatcrew safely pulled the four boaters from the water and transported them to Coast Guard Station Cortez.
No injuries were reported. SEATOW has been contracted to recover the vessel.
The Coast Guard reminds all boaters that in the event of a maritime emergency, the use of a float plan, VHF radio, life jackets and an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon are critical to ensuring a swift rescue. For information on boating safety, please visit http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com.
