Coast Guard, crews rescue man when boat capsizes in Gulf of Mexico
SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) - Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard and Sarasota Fire Rescue rescued a man whose boat overturned in the Gulf of Mexico.
Coast Guard officials said in a news release they received a call late Wednesday stating that 55-year-old Jay Connelly had not returned from a trip on his 16-foot boat.
A Jayhawk helicopter crew and a response boat crew began searching for Connelly. The fire rescue crew spotted him some 5 miles off the Florida Gulf Coast.
Connelly was brought to shore. He suffered no injuries.
"Mr. Connelly did several things right to ensure his safety," said Richard Hutchinson, a command duty officer at Sector St. Petersburg. "He let close friends know where he was going and when he planned to return. He was also wearing a life jacket, which is one of the most important things a person can do to stay safe. Circumstances on the water are constantly changing and filing a float plan and wearing a life jacket increases a persons chances of survival."