Fireboat Rescues 5 off Egmont Key
On Monday, May 15, 2000 West Manatee Fire Rescue announced it had put into service a new 25'’foot Boston Whaler fire/rescue boat. On Saturday, May 20, 2000 at approximately 10:30 a.m. the new boat (West Manatee Marine 7) performed its first water rescue. Marine 7 was in th waters near the north end of Anna Maria when it’s crew (Firefighter John Tynski, and volunteer firefighters Nate Bergbom and John Ingold) answered a distress call for an overturned vessel near Egmont Key. They responded as mutual aid to the USCG. Marine 7 found an 18’ open fisherman vessel overturned in 22’ of water near Passage Key. Five adults were clinging to the capsized vessel. All five were safely rescued. The USCG arrived on scene a short time later and confirmed that all persons were accounted for. The five had put in at Fort Desoto earlier in the day. The vessel, owned by Ronald Hinkley of Lakeland, was towed to shore by Towboat US along with the 5 men.
The Coast Guard reported the following persons were rescued.
Ronald Hinkley
Todd Owings
Troy Gorbey
James Eaton
Donald Tressa
For Further information please contact Captain Ernie Cave at 741-3900. Pager 956-6278
