ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Coast Guard along with partner agencies are searching Saturday for a 70-year-old man who capsized in his canoe with one other person in the vicinity of Jewell Key, Florida.
Coast Guard watchstanders were notified via landline at 12:50 p.m., from a member of the Everglades Park Rangers reporting one of the men who capsized contacted them and stated he and his friend had an overloaded canoe and capsized Friday at approximately 4 p.m. He also reported he was able to grab on to debris but saw his friend float away. He said he was able to stay afloat, make it to Jewell Key where he slept for the night. In the morning, he flagged down a passing boat and notified authorities. They both were wearing lifejackets.
An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Miami, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida, A Response Boat — Medium boat crew from Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach, Florida, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Marlin, and a helicopter crew and two boat crews from the Everglades Park Rangers are currently searching for the man.