Coast Guard rescues 3 people after boat capsizes 15 miles west of Bayport

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Tampa Bay Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Tampa Bay 305-965-4672 PA Detachment Tampa Bay online newsroom

Coast Guard rescues 3 people after boat capsizes 15 miles west of Bayport

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CLEARWATER, Fla.-- 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. Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders received a channel 16 VHF-FM 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 men 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. 

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-USCG-