Their boat capsized in Tampa Bay, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

ST. PETERSBURG – The Coast Guard and good Samaritans rescued three boaters today (June 23)  after their vessel capsized about 12 miles west of Tampa.

Rescued were Raul Gutierrez, 40, Jorge Gutierrez, 51, and Jose Gari, 38. All three men are from Kissimmee.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg were notified about 8:21 a.m. by  Vessel Traffic Services which relayed a report from a commercial tug boat crewmember who said boaters were capsized in Tampa Bay.

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and diverted a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Station St. Petersburg to help.

At 8:35 a.m., good Samaritans responded to the UMIB, located the capsized 20-foot boat and pulled the three people from the water. The RBM crew rendezvoused with the good Samaritan crew, embarked the three boaters and took them to Station St. Petersburg.

No injuries were reported.

“You can never underestimate the importance of our boating community,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Kristen Bachicha, watchstander at Sector St.Petersburg. “Thanks to today’s good Samaritans and the close coordination between Sector and Station St. Petersburg we had a successful outcome.”

Main photo shows Coast Guard crew members aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Station St. Petersburg arrive and take three rescued boaters to the station In-story photo shows the capsized boat. Photos courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Detachment Tampa Bay.

U.S. Coast Guard | Boaters Rescued | Tampabay News

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