3 Rescued After Boat Capsized In SWFL: Watch

LEE COUNTY, FL — Three people were rescued from waters near Captiva on Sunday after their boat capsized and a family member reported them missing, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release. (Watch a video from the rescue below.)

The family member called the U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders around 1 a.m. that morning to report that their last contact with the boaters was Saturday at 8 p.m. and they were on a 20-foot center console boat.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 helicopter aircrew found the three boaters sitting on top of their capsized vessel. They were “reportedly in good health,” the agency said.

A Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach boat crew then arrived on scene and brought the capsized boaters aboard.

The rescued boaters were brought to awaiting emergency medical services at the Coast Guard station.

The cause of the capsize is unknown, the agency said.

“We were able to locate and rescue the three boaters thanks to the quick coordination of the Coast Guard and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, along with the use of critical search tools,” Dennise Werre, chief warrant officer with Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, said. “Completing a float plan with a loved one prior to going out on a vessel is critical. Float plans provide first responders with information such as the intended route, how many people are aboard, and what safety equipment may be available.”

Watch a video from the rescue below: