Coast Guard rescues 8 people, including child, after boat capsizes 36 miles west of Florida coastline

A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) aircrew came to the rescue of seven adults and one child, after their boat capsized 36 miles west off of the Boca Grande, Florida, coastline on Saturday.

Officials with the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast said in a press release that the boaters reported that their 28-foot boat capsized and was sinking off the coast of Boca Grande, which is near Fort Myers.

After the boaters activated an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), an Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew honed in on a signal coming from the boaters’ Personal Locator Beacons.

The crew said they spotted the beacon's strobe lights and found all eight people wearing life jackets while holding onto a cooler.

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In footage of the dramatic rescue, the USCG helicopter was seen hovering above the stranded boaters before lifting them from the waters.

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According to the aircrew, they hoisted each person out of the water and took them to emergency medical services at Venice Municipal Airport.

No injuries were reported, the USCG said.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Santiago Gomez, Coast Guard Public Affairs Detachment Tampa Bay, said that the boaters carried all the necessary lifesaving equipment needed.

"The boaters in distress carried close to every piece of lifesaving equipment we encourage the public to carry onboard their vessel," Gomez said. "Life jackets, an EPIRB, a PLB, visual signaling devices and a marine grade radio with VHF-FM channel 16 improve our Coast Guard crews’ abilities to locate mariners in distress and increase the chances of a positive outcome to bring them safely home."

"Today marks the beginning of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and these safe boating practices make a difference year-round," he said.