Guard Station Key West 45-foot Response Boat-Medium file photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nick Ameen.
MIAMI — A Coast Guard Station Key West rescue crew rescued nine people, Saturday, after their pontoon overturned near Boca Chica Channel.
A Station Key West rescue crew rescued all nine people from the water and took them back ashore at Boca Chica.
A good Samaritan notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders of an overturned pontoon with nine people in the water without life jackets at approximately 1:45 p.m.
No medical concerns were reported
“Life jackets help save lives, thankfully in this case our crew quickly arrived on scene and rescued all people from the water who weren’t wearing life jackets,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Falcon Piner, boarding officer at Station Key West. “We remind mariners to wear a life jacket, check the weather before going out, tell someone where you are going and when you’ll be back, ensure your safety gear is up to date, and have a registered emergency position indicator radio beacon onboard.”
Download the free Coast Guard app. Focusing on recreational boating, the app has a float plan function, the ability to check weather reports from the nearest NOAA buoys, a function for calling for assistance when in distress and more. It is currently available for free on iOS and Android devices.
Further boating safety information can be found online at the following:
Coast Guard Boating Safety page
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