USACE survey vessel assists in rescue of distressed boaters off Florida

The crew of Florida II, a survey vessel operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District, assisted the US Coast Guard in the rescue of a small distressed boat off the coast of Florida recently.

The three-person crew conducted a routine hydrographic survey 16 kilometres offshore near Cape Canaveral and responded to a mayday call stating that a vessel was taking on water and going down.

With a global positioning system and visual cues from the vessel operator, the crew aboard Florida II deployed to the scene to assist.

The survey vessel soon came across a disabled eight-metre small craft that was taking on water. The distressed mariners were seen bailing water overboard with a small pelican case while struggling to keep up with the incoming water.

The crew of Florida II made contact with the occupants of the small boat and conveyed their details to the coast guard.

The USACE crew helped the boaters in dumping water overboard until coast guard personnel arrived on-scene within 20 minutes of the request for assistance being sent. The coast guard then rescued the boaters and towed their vessel to a nearby marina.

After the coast guard left with the rescued boaters, the USACE crew resumed their work of surveying Cape Canaveral’s waters.