One of the scariest things a boater can experience is going out on the water and not being able to make it back, especially when the sun is starting to set. Over a dozen passengers on a damaged boat experienced this fear when they were in need of rescue on November 9.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office posted a press release with a video to their official Facebook page detailing how deputies were able to carry out the water rescue around 5:30 p.m.
Just before deputies arrived, a wave hit the boat, knocking three of the passengers into the water. Thankfully, another boater was nearby and managed to get everyone back on board.
Meanwhile, the county’s Aviation Section was able to guide its Marine Section to the damaged boat, which had a total of 13 passengers aboard. Each one was then helped onto a police boat. In the video, as she boarded, one woman can be heard telling an officer that she lost her shoes during the ordeal.
In partnership with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR), the Marine Section brought the passengers to Harborage Marine, where emergency medical services were waiting to treat them. Several people had minor injuries, but everyone was safe.
Sheriff Chad Chronister commented on the event saying, “This successful rescue operation is a testament to the power of different sections and agencies working well together. We’re grateful to have been able to bring all these individuals to safety, and I commend the outstanding efforts of our deputies and HCFR.”