ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Coast Guard assisted three people on a vessel 17 miles west of Sanibel Island Saturday afternoon.
A medium boatcrew arrived on scene to escort them safely back to Redfish Pass and provided assistance dewatering the 30-foot vessel.
Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders received a distress call at approximately10:45 a.m. Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission also assisted with the vessel. Commercial salvage relocated the vessel. The cause of flooding was from a cracked transom.
"We heard the sector talking to the vessel over the radio,"said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Harkey, coxswain for Station Ft. Myers Beach. "We told the operator to make way to Redfish Pass to beach the boat and check the damage. Other agencies also came out to assist and diverted vessel traffic to not slow down the damaged vessel."
