The U.S. Coast Guard rescued boaters who were stranded off the coast of Florida ahead of Debby’s landfall when powerful winds broke the vessel’s sail over the weekend.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – A terrifying situation unfolded off the coast of Florida over the weekend when winds from then-Hurricane Debby tore the sail off a boat, paralyzing the vessel in rough seas and prompting a rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard.
A video shared by the U.S. Coast Guard Southeast showed the boaters adrift in the waters about 70 miles off the coast of Boca Grande.
According to the USCG, a friend of the boaters contacted officials around 5 p.m. Saturday after the two people failed to check in while they were attempting to sail from Key West to Tarpon Springs.
A wild video shared by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the dramatic rescue of boaters who were stranded off the coast of Florida over the weekend after winds from then-Hurricane Debby ripped the sail off the vessel.
A rescue operation was then launched, and the disabled vessel was located on Sunday morning.
An Air Station Clearwater Jayhawk helicopter rescue crew was able to hover above the vessel, and the stranded boaters were then hoisted into the aircraft and brought to safety.
“Some of the most important factors in any search and rescue case is accurate information and safety equipment,” said Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hooper. “We received an updated satellite position from the boaters’ friends, which led them to be successfully located.”
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It was likely a long, stressful night for those who were stranded on the boat.
The Coast Guard said conditions were rough, with 20-foot swells in the ocean being reported, and winds whipping around 60 mph with low visibility.