ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Coast Guard rescued two divers Saturday 20 miles west of Anclote Key Preserve State Park.
Watch standers from Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg received a call at 11:36 a.m. Saturday via VHF-FM marine radio channel 16 from two divers who reported they resurfaced but were unable to locate their dive boat. Both divers wore personal flotation devices, and one was communicating via handheld VHF-radio.
Watch standers diverted a 45-foot Response Boat–Medium boat crew from Coast Guard Station Sand Key. The boat crew arrived on scene at 12:11 p.m. pulled the divers from the water, located their dive boat and transferred them returned them to the dive boat.
“This just goes to show how important it is to have the correct safety gear at all times,” said Chief Petty Officer William Wells, command duty officer at Sector St. Petersburg. “These divers prepared for the worst case scenario, and because they had their life jackets and proper communications, they were rescued.”
There are no reported injuries to either diver.
