The rescue prevented a potentially dangerous situation in one of Florida’s busiest waterways, which is frequented by cargo ships and cruise vessels.
Two men and their dog were rescued Tuesday after their sailboat drifted into a busy shipping channel in Tampa Bay, Florida, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The men were reported missing after going sailing near Apollo Beach, south of Tampa. The sheriff’s Marine Unit launched a search, initially focusing on the upper bay. Deputies then followed the tide and wind south, eventually spotting the 25-foot sailboat adrift just north of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which spans lower Tampa Bay between St. Petersburg and Manatee County…