In a dramatic rescue operation, the US Coast Guard saved four fishermen who spent almost 24 hours lost at sea after their vessel capsized off the Florida coast.
A Desperate Search and Miraculous Find
The four men, identified as Clarence Woods, 90, Dennis Woods, 70, Cris Harding Sr, 42, and Cris Harding Jr, 18, set sail from Mulberry, Polk County, at 9.30 am on Monday. They had told their families to expect them back by 4 pm that same day. When they failed to return, concerned relatives reported them missing at 8.30 pm, triggering a large-scale search.
The Clearwater Police Department located the men's truck and trailer near the Seminole Street Boat Ramp, but their 25-foot green-and-white boat, named the “Money Well Wasted,” was gone. A joint search effort was immediately launched involving the US Coast Guard and Clearwater Police, utilising both helicopters and airplanes to scan the vast ocean.
The Challenge of Communication and Mechanical Failure
During a press briefing, Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy revealed the fishermen likely had no means of communication beyond their mobile phones, which lose signal just 10–12 miles offshore. He also confirmed the vessel had reportedly experienced mechanical problems prior to the incident.
"The challenge becomes, cell phones stop working about 10–12 miles offshore," Chief Gandy explained. "So, if they don’t have a VHF radio to communicate... they could just be broken down out of cell phone range." He vowed authorities would remain engaged "until we find these folks."
A Happy Ending After a Brutal Ordeal
The extensive search paid off. Nearly a full day after they vanished, the four fishermen were found alive and in healthy condition at approximately 8.30 am on Tuesday morning. They were located clinging to their capsized boat about 26 miles from the shore.
This remarkable story of survival spans an incredible age range, from a nonagenarian to a young adult, all enduring a harrowing day and night adrift in the open ocean before their successful rescue by the persistent Coast Guard crews.
