Coast Guard finds 2 missing boaters in Bahamas

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast Contact: 7th District Public Affairs Office: 305-415-6683 After Hours: 305-202-3735 7th District online newsroom

Coast Guard finds 2 missing boaters in Bahamas

MIAMI — The Coast Guard District Seven watchstanders were notified Wednesday the two missing boaters on the 50-foot sailboat Get Nauti were safe on Great Harbour Cay, Bahamas.

It was reported that Marty Widrick called her daughter as soon as Get Nauti arrived at Great Harbor Cay Marina and reported she and Sven Karlsson were safe. Her daughter called District Seven watchstanders at approximately noon to alert search coordinators of the new information. 

Watchstanders spoke with marina officials who confirmed Karlsson and Widrick were safe. Karlsson told watchstanders they departed Great Inagua on Dec. 15 enroute to Turks and Caicos, but encountered bad weather and changed course to head north through the Bahamian archipelagic zone, with a final destination of Fort Lauderdale.

"Filing float plans with loved ones is imperative to ensuring a search is initiated at the earliest possible opportunity, and although the plan changed in this case, a search would never started without it," said Lt. Chris Dunton, command duty officer, District Seven. "We'd like to thank the Bahamian authorities for working with us helping to find Karlsson and Widrick."

Coast Guard crews searched approximately 58,200 square miles, roughly the size of Georgia. 

Searching were:

Air Station Clearwater

Air Station Miami

Coast Guard Cutter Resolute 

For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

-USCG-