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Coast Guard rescues mother and children from sailboat
Aaron Mesmer reports
CLEARWATER, Fla. - The U.S. Coast Guard in Clearwater conducted a helicopter rescue on a family of four, including two children, Sunday when their sailboat broke down off the coast of Pasco County.
According to the Coast Guard, the family was sailing nearly 100 miles away from Anclote Island when their boat became disabled. They sent out a distress signal, which was picked up by the Coast Guard.
"They knew their distress signals, and they knew how to get a hold of someone that can help them, which is the biggest thing," said Lt. Bayley Olds, who co-piloted this rescue mission. "Having that equipment on your boat and then knowing how to use it is the biggest thing for mariners is we got in a lot of cases where people didn't know how to operate this the equipment, or they didn't have it on board, and it makes it very difficult to find people, so they made it a lot easier for us."
RELATED: Coast Guard rescues woman, 2 children from disabled sailboat nearly 100 miles off Anclote Island
Olds told FOX 13 the family was frightened by worsening weather and rough seas.
Lt. Olds and his crew flew an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to the boat. A Coast Guard swimmer helped the mother and her two children, ages three and 12, into the water and away from the boat. They got into a basket and were hoisted to safety.
The father was operating the vessel and stayed with it until he was able to make it back to shore.
This was Olds' first rescue hoist over water. He said his crew got a lot of practice over land earlier this year when they rescued people stranded during Hurricane Ian.
The Coast Guard recommends boaters keep a VHF, or "Very High Frequency," Marine Radio with them at all times. It can be used to send out a distress signal and help the Coast Guard locate the vessel.