Boaters pulled to safety by Good Samaritan when boat sinks in Indian River Lagoon: 'Grateful...we all made it'
Memorial Day boating trip turns into rescue after vessel sinks
What began as a Memorial Day boating trip on the Indian River turned into a frightening rescue after seven young men were left stranded in the water when their boat sank. All seven were rescued safely after spending about 30 minutes in the water.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - What began as a Memorial Day boating trip on the Indian River turned into a frightening rescue after seven young men were left stranded in the water when their boat sank.
All seven were rescued safely after spending about 30 minutes in the water and credit a Good Samaritan with helping bring them to shore.
Memorial Day mayhem
The backstory:
The holiday weekend took a harrowing turn near Bird Island when the group's boat ran out of gas. However, empty fuel tanks were only the beginning of their problems.
The boaters found themselves stranded in an area highly vulnerable to the elements, and conditions rapidly deteriorated.
"That’s where the wind is the absolute worst, and it was honestly the worst place to run out of gas," said boater Mike Honcho.
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To make matters worse, the vessel's bilge pump—the mechanism responsible for removing water from the ship—failed. With rough winds kicking up waves and no way to drain the rising water, the boat went under.
"Water is just coming over little by little, and you have no way to get it out," Honcho recalled. "Eventually, you are going to sink."
The boat went under, forcing all seven young men into the river. Clutching their cell phones, they made frantic 911 calls and did whatever they could to stay afloat. Thankfully, most of them had lifejackets.
Saved by a stranger
The group spent about 30 minutes floating in the choppy waters before help arrived.
While the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office "STAR" chopper was deployed and successfully located the swimmers from the air, it was a Good Samaritan on a civilian boat who reached them first.
"We were just cold, and it was windy," said fellow boater Kalob Bertrand. "As soon as we got put on that boat, that's when it got dark and we were like, 'Okay, we’re saved.'"
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The alert boater pulled all seven men from the river and brought them safely to shore, where they were met by waiting deputies and officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Despite the terrifying ordeal, Honcho expressed immense relief that the group stuck together and survived.
"I’m grateful they all. We all made it out," Honcho said.
Remarkably, the terrifying experience hasn't entirely turned the group into landlubbers. When asked about their future plans, the boys admitted they are already looking forward to getting back out on the river—though they plan to be a bit more prepared next time.
"We didn’t learn our lesson," Honcho joked.
"Maybe bring a working bilge pump this time," Bertrand added.
The Source: FOX 35 Reporter Esther Bower saw the videos of the boat sinking on social media and reached out. She spoke with the sheriff's office via email for more information on what happened on June1, 2026. She met with the boaters, as well.