Coast Guard rescued eight people from two separate boats off the Keys
Eight people were rescued Monday in the waters off the Middle Keys in two separate incidents.
The U.S. Coast Guard said the rescues were made possible in both cases because someone had the proper safety equipment to call for help.
“In both cases, VHF radio channel 16 was used to contact the Coast Guard and launch rescue operations,” said Ensign Erin Woods, a watchstander with Sector Key West. “Having the right safety and communications equipment onboard can make a big difference if you find yourself in a dangerous situation out on the water.”
In the first case, the Coast Guard received a call from a good Samaritan that a 20-foot cabin cruiser had capsized near Key Colony Beach. A Coast Guard crew responded and rescued four people from the water. They were taken to the Marathon Shore Marina with no injuries, the Coast Guard said.
In the second case, the Coast Guard received a report that a 17-foot pleasure craft was taking on water approximately nine miles southeast of Marathon. A Coast Guard crew responded and rescued four people.
This story was originally published July 22, 2019 at 11:10 PM.
