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7 rescued south of Grassy Key
BY ADAM LINHARDT Citizen Staff
alinhardt@keysnews.com
Seven people were rescued late Saturday night after a 27-foot boat began taking on water in rough seas south of Grassy Key, according to a Coast Guard report.
There were no reported injuries, said Coast Guard Sector Key West spokesman Lt. Peter Bermont.
The 27-foot Robalo eventually sank at 9 p.m. in deep water beyond the reef about five miles south of Grassy Key while being battered by 30 mph winds and seven-foot seas, Bermont said.
The names and addresses of those rescued were not available.
Coast Guard Station Marathon sent a 33-foot response boat to find the Robalo. Those on board shot two flares, which greatly aided in the rescue, Bermont said.
The boat was also adrift, but whether it lost power before or after it began taking on water was unclear, Bermont said.
There were no reports that the boat struck anything, he added.
"It was in pretty rough seas and the boat was overwhelmed," Bermont said, adding that water entered the boat over the bow and stern, and not through a crack in the hull or other means.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was not involved in the rescue, said Capt. David Dipre. The FWC will probably be following up with boating accident reports given that the boat sank, he said.
This is the time of year the Coast Guard sees more and more such cases as winds begin to pick up.
"We ask that people be aware of the weather this time of year, especially once outside the reef where wind and waves become significantly more challenging to navigation," Bermont said. "You need to take the small-craft advisories seriously whether you're fishing or diving."
alinhardt@keysnews.com
BY ADAM LINHARDT Citizen Staff
alinhardt@keysnews.com
Seven people were rescued late Saturday night after a 27-foot boat began taking on water in rough seas south of Grassy Key, according to a Coast Guard report.
There were no reported injuries, said Coast Guard Sector Key West spokesman Lt. Peter Bermont.
The 27-foot Robalo eventually sank at 9 p.m. in deep water beyond the reef about five miles south of Grassy Key while being battered by 30 mph winds and seven-foot seas, Bermont said.
The names and addresses of those rescued were not available.
Coast Guard Station Marathon sent a 33-foot response boat to find the Robalo. Those on board shot two flares, which greatly aided in the rescue, Bermont said.
The boat was also adrift, but whether it lost power before or after it began taking on water was unclear, Bermont said.
There were no reports that the boat struck anything, he added.
"It was in pretty rough seas and the boat was overwhelmed," Bermont said, adding that water entered the boat over the bow and stern, and not through a crack in the hull or other means.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was not involved in the rescue, said Capt. David Dipre. The FWC will probably be following up with boating accident reports given that the boat sank, he said.
This is the time of year the Coast Guard sees more and more such cases as winds begin to pick up.
"We ask that people be aware of the weather this time of year, especially once outside the reef where wind and waves become significantly more challenging to navigation," Bermont said. "You need to take the small-craft advisories seriously whether you're fishing or diving."
alinhardt@keysnews.com
