Pasco Sheriff Marine Unit Rescues 5 Passengers From Capsized Boat

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL —The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office marine unit rescued five people after their boat capsized 15 miles northwest of Anclote Key Saturday.

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg received a mayday report from one of the passengers of the 20-foot center console boat before the vessel capsized.

A Pasco County Sheriff’s Office marine vessel arrived on the scene and Pasco Sheriff's Cpl. Mitch Bollenbacher rescued the five people. They were transported to shore with no injuries reported.

Capt. Mathew Thompson, commanding officer at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, commended the passenger for using the emergency marine channel to contact the Coast Guard.

“In cases like this the use of a life jackets and using Channel 16 through a VHF-FM radio made a critical difference for the rescue units being able to provide support when the boaters were in distress," said Thompson.

The Coast Guard reminds all mariners before taking to the water to file a float plan, have properly fitting life jackets for each person aboard the vessel and have a working VHF-FM radio, along with another form of communications device as a backup, such as a satellite phone. For more safe boating tips, visit the U.S. Coast Guard's Safe Boating Division.