SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Rescue crews have rescued 10 people from a capsized vessel off Sunny Isles Beach.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units were called to the scene in the area of Haulover Beach, around one mile east of the Haulover Jetty, just after 5 p.m., Tuesday.
According to MDFR, they received reports from a woman on an overturned boat that had another nine people on board.
Nineteen-year-old Romero Maragh also made sure to keep his cellphone dry, so he could call for help.
“Once we saw a little bit of sinking happening, everyone just threw on a life vest,” said Maragh.
Fire officials said the group of friends were out on a fishing trip when the 21-foot vessel capsized. They said one of the passengers walked towards the front of the vessel, opened a door and noticed water rushing in.
“I heard them starting to yell and scream,” said Maragh. “That’s when I really got up, and there was water in the downstairs part of the boat, you could say, below the deck.”
Maragh said that happened around an hour or so into the fishing trip, and that is when the passengers tried to get some of the water out of the boat.
“The boat ran for like three to five minutes, and then it just completely shut off,” said Maragh. “Water kept coming in. It tipped left. It tipped right, and then it finally tipped over, and we just all jumped on top.”
7SkyForce HD captured the passengers, who were all wearing life vests, standing on the vessel’s belly and holding hands while waiting for rescue teams to arrive.
“They all put on their [personal flotation devices], and if there is one lesson to be learned today, that is when you have an emergency, you need to have that PFD on,” Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. George Izquierdo said. “If you do not feel comfortable in the water, and you do know how to swim, you must have that PFD on at all times.”
MDFR officials said the vessel was too far out for the passengers, who were all over 18 years old, to swim back to shore.
“They tried to mitigate the problem themselves. They thought at first it was something that they could maybe bail out themselves, but then it got to a point where it was too much for them to handle so they made a 911 call,” said Izquierdo.
“We told them, ‘South of Hallandale and north of Haulover. Somewhere in the ocean,'” Maragh said, “and they just found us pretty quick. We just all sticked together and just made sure that we made the upside-down boat stay still and make sure that we try to keep it as stable as possible, so it didn’t go under water.”
Video also showed Ocean Rescue transporting the passengers one by one on their personal watercraft to the fire rescue boat.
“Once we saw the guys on the Jet Ski came, we knew that we were OK,” said Maragh. “You know, it’s a huge thank you. They really saved our lives.”
Maragh said the group had been yelling for help but a few passing boats couldn’t hear them.
“We saw a couple people passing by, and we were screaming and yelling when we were on top, and unfortunately they didn’t hear us,” he recounted.
Those who were aboard the overturned vessel were rescued and transported to the Haulover Marine Center to give statements to investigators.
The owner of the boat said he was thankful that he was rescued.
The passengers also expressed their gratitude for being rescued.
“You don’t expect to go out there, you know like 10 of you guys, trying to catch fish, and then the boat tips over like that,” said Maragh. “It’s just unexpected, and everyone just stayed calm.”
Investigators will return to the scene to recover the overturned boat and tow it back to the docks.
The U.S. Coast Guard was also called to the scene.
No injuries were reported.
“None of us lost our lives or got injured or nothing like that, so we’re all grateful,” Maragh said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are investigating the incident.
A hazard to navigation order was broadcast over the radio to warn other mariners to steer clear of that area until the vessel is recovered.
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