News
By Mark Price, Miami Herald
07-05-23
A boater made a desperate decision to try swimming 2 miles to shore after his boat sank in the dark off North Florida, rescuers say.
He had been in the water roughly 90 minutes when deputies with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office found him, according to a news release.
It happened late Saturday, July 1, in waters off Fort Clinch State Park, about 35 miles north of Jacksonville, deputies said.
“Our NCSO Marine Unit spotted his 40 (foot) vessel sinking just two miles off the beach near Fort Clinch … just after 11:00 p.m.,” officials said.
“When our deputies found the boat they noticed it was empty and they began searching for any occupants. … NCSO found the boater attempting to swim to shore about a half mile from his vessel.”
The man, who lives in the area, was uninjured when he was pulled aboard the marine unit vessel, but he was “checked out by fire rescue personnel as a precaution.” His identity was not released.
Read the full article here: Sinking boat found empty 2 miles off Florida beach before swimmer is spotted, cops say (newsbreak.com)
