PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — A boat crew with the U.S. Coast Guard rescued a diver Tuesday after he was reported missing miles off Anclote Key.
According to a news release from the agency, the man was spearfishing from a 32-foot recreational boat 16 miles northwest of Anclote Key in Pasco County.
Watchstanders with the Coast Guard sector in St. Petersburg were notified of two divers in the water spearfishing but only one resurfaced. This led the watchstanders to send out air and surface crews to search for him.
The aircrew from the Clearwater sector that responded arrived on scene by helicopter and was able to find the diver.
He was then picked up by a boat crew and safely taken back to the recreational boat. No one was reported hurt during the incident.
“Within 20 minutes of searching, this gentleman was located 16 miles offshore and recovered by a Coast Guard small boat crew,” Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60T Aircraft Commander Lt. Sayre D. Joseph said in a statement.
