Archive image: A U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft poses on platform after conducting fly operations over U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Thetis, USCGC Resolute, and USCGC Pablo Valent off coast of Tampa Bay following Hurricane Milton, Oct. 11, 2024.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Omar Faba.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew and a Station Cortez boat crew rescue eight boaters after their 26-foot vessel became disabled, approximately 35 nautical miles west of Venice. Saturday, November 15, 2025.
The boaters and vessel were brought back to a Venice Inlet boat ramp with no reported injuries.
A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144B Ocean Sentry airplane aircrew was deployed to search for the boaters. The rescue aircrew located them aboard their disabled vessel in 2 to 3-foot seas and 5-10 knot winds at 9:32 p.m. The HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew vectored the Coast Guard Station Cortez Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) crew to the vessel’s location.
A Venice Police Department officer reported an overdue vessel to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders at 1:44 p.m., Saturday.
“Before going out on the water make sure you tell someone where you are going and when you will be back,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Beasley, a Coast Guard Station Cortez boarding officer. “We recommend being as specific as possible so rescue crews have a reliable place to start searching in case of emergency. Boaters should always have Coast Guard approved life jackets, VHF radio, signaling devices and an emergency position locator beacon or personal locator beacon.”
Coast Guard Southeast District crews always recommend mariners take a safety boating course before going out on the water. Visit uscgaux.org to find a safety course near you.
–USCG–
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