Coast Guard Rescue 3 Boaters 15 Miles Off Bayport

CLEARWATER, FL — The Coast Guard rescued three people after a boat capsized 15 miles west of Bayport.

Rescued were Cookeville, Tennessee, natives Karim Odeh, Mark LaRoche and Kevin LaRoche.

At 2:09 p.m. Thursday Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg received a marine band radio distress call from the boaters stating their 15-foot flat bottom fishing boat was taking on water, and they were in need of emergency assistance.

An Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew was launched and located the three people in life jackets clinging to their capsized boat.

"After everything went wrong, these men did everything right," said Lt. Tim Keily, the Air Station Clearwater helicopter co-pilot. "They immediately called for help, wore their life jackets and stayed with their boat."

The helicopter crew hoisted the men into the helicopter and transported them to Tampa General Hospital for further evaluation. The three men had been in the water for about an hour.