A fisherman was rescued Thursday night, moments before his boat sank.
- Coast Guard rescues fisherman moments before boat sinks
- Boat started taking on water Thursday night near Fort De Soto
The Coast Guard received a mayday call at 7:48 p.m. from a man who said his boat was taking on water and in need of emergency assistance.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Clearwater was diverted to the location of the boat, which was less than a mile west of Fort De Soto, and arrived at 8:46 p.m.
The man was rescued before his 12-foot dinghy capsized and was transported to Air Station Clearwater in stable condition.
"This could have been a tragic situation," said Lt. Matthew Mayer, a MH-60 Jayhawk pilot from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater. "Thankfully the fisherman had a working VHF radio so he could alert us of the distress immediately and we were able to rescue him in time; however, I recommend all boaters pay close attention to the local forecast before even leaving the dock."