A Florida couple, who can’t swim and were trying to ride out Hurricane Irma in an anchored sailboat, had to be rescued from choppy water by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Video of the rescue, which you can watch above, was released by the sheriff’s office Sunday afternoon.
The sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook, “MCSO Marine Rescue and Strike Teams are launching into treacherous waters to begin a marine rescue of two people who remained on their boat near the causeway. The mariners say they are unable to swim. We will keep you posted on this. Please pray for the safety of our brave first responders.”
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Martin County Sheriff’s Office/ FacebookA sailboat rocks in the waves during Hurricane Irma. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office rescued a couple who were on the boat and trying to ride out the storm.
The rescue occurred near Jensen Beach, which is on the Atlantic Coast north of Palm Beach, CBS News reports.
The video shows the sheriff’s deputies bringing their boat up to the sailboat and helping the couple to safety.
“Everyone is safe, and back on land. Good job everyone especially to our Marine unit and Marine Deputy John Howell, Marine Deputy James Holleran and Deputy Matt Fritchie. Thank you to our dispatch team as well,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. The rescue was completed about 10:30 a.m.
The couple has not been identified. They were not injured.
The sheriff’s office earlier posted a video from the same area of a boat that was grounded after its anchor line broke:
The rescue was conducted shortly after that incident, according to the sheriff’s office. A passerby spotted the boat and noticed the couple was in trouble and then reported it to police, Christine Wise, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said at a press conference.
Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said deputies “were forced to do a rescue on the river.” Snyder told reporters he wanted to use that incident as an “illustration that people who make bad decisions now, (who) don’t leave when we ask them to leave or are out on the road, cause us to have to put our deputies in jeopardy.”
“My request to Martin County residents is to please stay off the streets, obviously, you would think I don’t have to say this, but apparently I do, don’t put your boats in the water right now,” Snyder said.
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