Man Overboard Rescue

MIAMI - A Coast Guard Station Miami boatcrew rescued a man who had fallen in the water from his vessel approximately four miles southwest of Key Biscayne, Fla., Tuesday.

Coast Guard Sector Miami watchstanders were notified by a person aboard a 17-foot Boston Whaler stating that he and one other were aboard the vessel and it was disabled. He also stated that there was one person in the water with lacerations to their leg from the propeller and he was unable to get back in the vessel.

Watchstanders diverted a smallboat crew from Coast Guard Station Miami Beach. Once on scene, they determined that the person who fell overboard needed immediate medical assistance. The other two persons did not know how to operate the vessel and were taken aboard the smallboat. A Coast Guard crewmember drove the Boston Whaler into Dinner Key Marina where local emergency medical services were waiting to further transfer the man to a local hospital.

The man was reported to be in stable condition upon transfer.

The Coast Guard reminds all boaters to be aware of their surroundings and the importance of wearing life jackets.  To meet Coast Guard requirements, a boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Type I, II, III, or V life jacket for each person aboard. Boats 16 feet and over must have at least one Type IV throwable device as well.

In the case of an emergency, VHF-FM radios are the preferred method for reporting emergencies from vessels on the water. If you have an emergency, call the Coast Guard on Channel 16 VHF-FM (156.8 MHz).