Four fishermen, aged between 18 and 90, have been rescued after spending nearly 24 hours lost at sea off the coast of Florida. The group went missing on Monday after setting sail from Mulberry, Polk County.
The men left at 9.30am on Monday, telling their families they would return by 4pm, but failed to appear. A joint search by the US Coast Guard and Clearwater Police Department was launched, and they were found at around 8.30am on Tuesday near their capsized boat, approximately 26 miles from shore. All four are in healthy condition.
The rescued men have been identified as Dennis Woods, 70, Clarence Woods, 90, Cris Harding Sr, 42, and Cris Harding Jr, 18. Their boat, named the “Money Well Wasted”, was found overturned. Their truck and trailer were earlier located at the Seminole Street Boat Ramp in Mulberry.
Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy reported that the vessel had experienced mechanical problems and that the men had no means of communication beyond mobile phones, which lose signal about 10 to 12 miles offshore. “We’re here until we find these folks,” Gandy said before the rescue.
