Coast Guard, partner agencies rescue 6 mariners near the Skyway

 

 

 

Coast Guard, partner agencies rescue 6 mariners near the Skyway

 

 

Via the Coast Guard Press Release

 

 

The Coast Guard rescued six people from a capsizing recreational vessel near the Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay Saturday.

 

Coast Guard Stations Cortez and St. Petersburg 45-foot Response Boat — Medium boat crews arrived on scene and embarked the six people in distress.

 

Two people wearing life jackets were pulled from the water by Station Cortez, and the remaining four on the boat were picked up by Station St. Petersburg. All six were safely transferred by Station Cortez to a local boat ramp without injuries.

 

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders received a distress call on marine radio channel 16 from the vessel operator reporting the vessel was close to capsizing.

 

“Regardless of how a person ends up in the water, wearing a life jacket is the single most important precaution a person can take to increase their chances of survival when situations like this take place,” said Capt. Mathew Thompson, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. “This is why we urge all boaters to have life jackets with them.”

 

Hillsborough County Fire and Rescue also responded. Sea Tow recovered the vessel and transferred it to a marina.

 

For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.