POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Body camera footage from Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies captured the rescue of several boaters whose vessel capsized off Pompano Beach.
The rescue happened about a mile offshore and in choppy seas at around 9 p.m., Tuesday.
“The seas last night were 3 to 5 [feet],” BSO Deputy Roger Manes said. “It was pretty rough out there and visibility wasn’t that good.”
Three people were on a boat that flipped over in the dark with the rough sea, deputies said.
“This is an emergency,” the 911 caller said. “The water slipped over, and we are one mile by 14th Street.”
The 911 operator asked, “Are you able to tell me your location?”
“I don’t know,” the caller replied.
Deputies Manes and Alexander Beer then hit the water to search for the boaters while a helicopter took to the sky.
While on their search, one of the three boaters grabbed a flashlight and started blinking it to help deputies locate them.
“We made our way towards that,” Manes said.
After a 15-minute search, the deputies arrived at the boaters’ location. Their body cameras captured the quick and calculated rescue.
“I’m gonna drop this door, and I want you, one at a time, to come to us,” Beer said to the boaters. “Hop in, I’ll pull you forward and hold onto the rope.”
After the deputies threw a lifeline, one-by-one the boaters escaped danger when they jumped into the deputies’ boat. Aerial footage from the helicopter showed them getting to safety.
None of the boaters were hurt, and deputies said their quick thinking helped them be found in a short time.
“Best case scenario is always one where nobody is hurt, and nobody likes to lose property, but at the end of the day, property and personal belongings is one thing you can replace,” Beer said. “Not getting seriously injured and being able to come home to your family is definitely the goal.”
The capsized vessel was towed back to shore.
Deputies said the incident is a good reminder why boaters should have life jackets as well as tools, such as a flashlight, within quick reach in case of an emergency.
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