ST. PETERSBURG, Florida -- Quick thinking by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and a quick response by a St. Petersburg man on a jet ski led to the safe rescue of three people from an overturned boat near the Sunshine Skyway bridge Sunday.
According to a press release from FHP, at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Corporal Jim Covert was patrolling near the Skyway bridge when he noticed an overturned boat about 200 yards offshore near the north rest area.
Covert called for assistance, but there was no rescue vessel nearby, according to FHP, so he flagged down 26-year-old David Teichman of St. Petersburg, who had a jet ski and immediately traveled to the boat.
Teichman was able to transport the three boaters to shore. According to officials, the boat had launched from St. John’s Pass and started to take on water near the Skyway, eventually capsizing because of large waves.
St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, the US Coast Guard and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission all responded to the incident as well, according to FHP.
———
©2017 The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.)
Visit The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.) at www.bradenton.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
