The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two boaters off Lake Worth Inlet on Thursday, but was still searching Saturday for the owner of a kayak found adrift in the gulf off Everglades City.
An 18-foot boat capsized on Thanksgiving about 1 mile east of Lake Worth Beach and the two men aboard fired three red flares about 9 p.m. to summon help.
A 45-foot Coast Guard vessel responded and the crew located the capsized boat about 9:15 p.m. The two men were pulled from the water and brought safely back to Blue Heron Marina with no reported injuries, authorities said. Their names were not disclosed.
The Coast Guard credited the men for being prepared in an emergency.
“Having working safety equipment and effective means of communication aided the rescue personnel to respond quicker and save lives,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class William Griffin.
In a separate case, an Everglades Park Ranger notified the Coast Guard about 5 p.m. Friday that an abandoned kayak with gear and fishing rods was adrift south of Everglades City on the gulf coast.
A Coast Guard Air Station Miami helicopter aircrew has been searching for the kayak owner. Anyone with information on the kayaker’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Key West Command Center at 305-292-8727.
The Coast Guard is reminding mariners to check the weather before going out, tell someone where you are going and when you’ll be back, wear a life jacket, ensure your safety gear is up to date, and have a registered emergency position indicator radio beacon onboard.
Wayne K. Roustan can be reached at wkroustan@sunsentinel.com or 561-379-6119 or on Twitter @WayneRoustan
