FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Boaters have been rescued after they were forced to abandon their sinking boat off the coast of Boynton Beach.
Four men were six miles off the coast of Dania Beach on a small boat when it began to sink around 1:40 p.m. Friday.
Two of the men were found clinging onto a cooler, and the other two men were swimming wearing life vests.
“They were lucky, and we got lucky,” said Lt. Dan Suarez.
The Coast Guard, Broward Sheriff’s Office and Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue and an aviation unit searched for the men and were able to bring them back to shore.
Hours after rescuing four men at sea, the Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue crew that saved them called it a once in a career call.
Dramatic video showed the moments they rescued the men.
“The chances of finding someone out in the middle of the ocean, it’s rare,” said engineer and driver Zach Goodwin.
“As long as they could tread water but I mean it was rough,” said Suarez.
As the men started drifting north, but fortunately, one of them had his cell phone and was able to direct rescue crews to them.
“We got a ping for latitude longitude for coordinates,” said a voice on the scanner.
“Once we had eye contact with them we were high-fiving, like we found them, holy crap,” said Suarez.
7Skyforce hovered over the Boynton Beach inlet as the boaters debriefed and took a photo with the rescuers who saved them.
“They were all just, I think, ecstatic to be found, and they started hugging each other,” said firefighter Jarrett Buetti.
“To actually have the boat go down, people floating in the water, and then you’re able to find them in the short amount of time we did, it’s a once in a career call,” said Suarez.
Officials said they are all OK.
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