Posted Sunday, April 8, 2012
MIAMI — Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, Fla., Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Tow boat U.S. rescued 10 persons in the water from their capsized vessel 250 yards off of the Sea Isle Marina, Miami Saturday.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Miami received a report of 10 persons in the water clinging to a capsized 14-foot pleasure craft, approximately 250 yards off of Sea Isle Marina, at 7:58 p.m. Saturday.
A Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, Fla., 45-foot Response Boat-Medium (RBM) boatcrew launched to search the nearby area along with,FWC and Tow Boat U.S. crews.
The Coast Guard RBM crew located the capsized vessel at 8:10 p.m. The RBM crew recovered four adults and three children and Tow Boat U.S. recovered one adult and two children from the water. All 10 persons in the water were safely transported to awaiting EMS crews on shore. Only minor medical concerns were reported.
According to WSVN-TV Channel 7, a good Samaritan, Juan Montes, was key in assisting with the rescue.
"Juan Montez, a mate on a private yacht, happened to be boating by and saw the passengers in the water. He immediately jumped into the water and managed to get two of the children to safety. "I heard kids crying and screaming and waving their hands. When I looked down, I saw the boat capsized with little kids on the sides. I saw another boat pull up to the side a few seconds before me and he was trying to help. He picked up the most smallest kid and put him onboard with a lady," said Montez. "I didn't take any chances, I just jumped in the water and I swam all the way to where the boat capsized and picked up the two kids, I put them on top of the boat and then at that time my captain was calling the Coast Guard."
Commercial salvage surfaced the vessel and towed it to safely to the marina.
The Coast Guard reminds boaters to always file a float plan with a friend or family member, have a VHF-FM radio and electronic indicating radio beacon on board, remain vigilant and observe safety and security zones while on the water. An electronic float plan can be filed at the following website: http://www.floatplancentral.org/
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