4 boaters rescued after boat overturns near Skyway
An overturned 16-foot vessel capsizes in Tampa Bay, Florida, April 22, 2020. The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan rescued the four boaters from an overturned 16-foot vessel in Tampa Bay. Photo courtesy USCG Station St. Petersburg.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A Good Samaritan pulled four boaters from the waters of Tampa Bay this morning and helped them until the Coast Guard could arrive.
According to the Coast Guard, it was just before 10 a.m. when 911 dispatchers notified Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg about a group of boaters in trouble. Their 16-foot boat had overturned near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
An unnamed bystander helped the four boaters; the Coast Guard brought them back to Maximo Park Boat Ramp “without any medical injuries or concerns.”
"We encourage all mariners to check the weather prior to getting underway and carry all proper safety equipment on their vessel because circumstances on the water can change rapidly," stated Petty Officer 2nd Class Steven Hava, the coxswain on the case. "Understanding the limitations of your boat and how many people it can safely transport is crucial to enjoying a day on the water."
Fishing and boating are permitted under the state’s safer-at-home order as long as social distancing guidance is followed.