4 Rescued, and 1 Dead After Stranded in Water for 20 Hours off Florida Keys

A boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Marathon, Fla., rescued four boaters Sunday morning near Marathon who had been treading water for approximately 20 hours.

The four boaters—among them a 4-year-old girl—were from a group of eight boaters whose boat sank shortly after noon Saturday.

The Station Marathon boatcrew transferred the four rescued boaters to awaiting EMS personnel at Captain Hook's Marina and Dive Center in Marathon.

Three of the eight boaters were picked up by a good Samaritan. One of the eight boaters, an 80-year-old woman, reportedly drowned and did not resurface.

According to an initial report, the boaters were not all wearing lifejackets.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission assisted in the rescue and is investigating the incident.

SeaTow Marathon and TowBoat Marathon also assisted in the rescue.

 

Source: U.S. Coast Guard