Florida Keys sheriff saw a boat sinking near bridge. Then 5 lobster hunters were found
Florida Keys Sheriff Rick Ramsay was driving on U.S. 1 near the Old Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon on Thursday when something in the water caught his eye.
It was a sinking boat on the bayside of the bridge with five men on board.
The vessel had a dive flag because the men were participating in the final day of the two-day lobster miniseason.
Ramsay called a 911 dispatcher, who put the call out about the distressed vessel. Monroe County Deputy Willie Guerra, a sheriff’s office marine patrol deputy, was nearby and got to the scene within a minute, said sheriff’s office spokesman Adam Linhardt.
He brought all the men aboard his patrol vessel. None were injured, according to the sheriff’s office.
“I’m happy to report everyone appears to be OK,” Ramsay said in a statement. “This is a great example of the awesome teamwork between the Sheriff’s Office and our law enforcement partners with the FWC and the U.S. Coast Guard.”
This story was originally published July 28, 2023 at 10:26 AM.
