Pinellas deputies rescue man after sailboat ran aground
REDINGTON BEACH (FOX 13) - Pinellas County deputies came to the rescue of a man after his sailboat ran aground off of Redington Beach.
It happened shortly before 5:00 Sunday morning behind The Tides condominiums located at 16750 Gulf Boulevard.
Deputies responding to a call located the 30 foot sailboat that had run aground. The vessel was partially capsized about 15-20 feet off the shore of the beach, with the engine motor still running.
Deputies say they could hear someone moaning in distress on-board the sailboat. Deputy Daniel Nociera, Deputy Tyler Schutz, and Deputy Jason Schmittendorf waded out into the waist deep water and found 74-year-old, James Shemwell, clinging to the deck of the boat. Shemwell was disoriented and suffered minor injuries.
Deputies were able to pull Shemwell safely to shore and ensure that no one else was on board the vessel.
Shemwell informed deputies that he remembered departing from the Skyway Bridge area.
Authorities believe that impairment may have been a factor.
Shemwell was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
The investigation remains underway.