St. Pete Woman Survives Jump From Sunshine Skyway Bridge

A woman drove to the highest point of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge around 7 a.m. Thursday and jumped.

According to St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue, the woman survived the jump and was pulled from the water by a nearby fisherman.

A fishing charter, operated by Captain Kris Winkel, was nearby and saw the commotion. Winkel drove to the woman and picked her up. According to authorities, the woman was then transported to Bayfront Medical Center where she is currently in stable condition.

A Florida Highway Patrol officer drove to the top of the bridge and placed a flare over the woman’s location, according to Lieutenant Joel Granata of St. Petersburg Fire Rescue. The flare helped Captain Winkel locate and rescue the woman. SPFR personnel then treated and transported the victim.

The fact that the woman survived is “unbelievable” Granata said. “She is lucky to be alive,” he added.

In a news release Captain Tim White, Incident Commander for SPFR said that the fishermen, “saved her life.”