Fire district, LCSO pull men from water after boat capsizes
At approximately 8:50 a.m. today, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit responded to a vessel taking on water approximately four miles west of Redfish Pass in the Gulf of Mexico.
While en route, deputies were notified that the vessel had capsized and that the occupants were in the water. It was not known if the five adult males had time to secure and utilize life jackets.
As the deputies approached the vessel, they could see the men sitting on top of a white capsized vessel. Only two of them were wearing life jackets.
The Captiva Island Fire Control District arrived on scene and saved three men who jumped off the vessel. The LCSO Marine Unit assisted the final two men and took them aboard its vessel.
All five men were transported to the South Seas Island Resort for further medical attention. None of them suffered serious injuries, despite the severity of the incident.
The men reportedly told authorities that they were attempting to anchor the vessel on a reef.
The vessel kept slipping anchor and began to drift. One of the men jumped in the water to secure the anchor. Once the anchor caught bottom, the vessel leaned to one side. A wave came over the side swamping the boat. The bilge pump could not keep up with the vessel taking on additional water in the very rough 2-foot to 3-foot seas. Subsequently, the vessel rolled over and capsized, officials reported.