ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 13 (UPI) — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two lost divers about 20 miles off Anclone Key in Florida after they resurfaced and were unable to locate their boat.
A Coast Guard crew out of the St. Petersburg sector took the rescue call around 11:30 a.m. Saturday after the divers resurfaced and realized they were lost. Both divers had carried personal flotation devices and one had carried a waterproof, handheld radio, which they used to call for help.
The Coast Guard dispatched a rescue crew from Sand Key to the area and located the divers unharmed and then located their dive boat. The diver returned to land on their own boat unharmed.
Coast Guard commanders said the incident underscores how crucial it can be to take proper safety precautions when diving. Had the two divers not carried the right equipment they could easily have died.
“This just goes to show how important it is to have the correct safety gear at all times,” said Chief Petty Officer William Wells, command duty officer at Sector St. Petersburg. “These divers prepared for the worst case scenario, and because they had their life jackets and proper communications, they were rescued.”
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