The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man whose boat was taking on water in Tampa Bay on Thursday.
The man was near MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa when he called 911 to report that his 19-foot vessel was taking on water, according to a news release from the Coast Guard.
Pinellas dispatchers forwarded the call to the Coast Guard’s St. Petersburg station, and a 29-foot Response boat and its crew were sent to help the man, the release said.
The man, who was not injured, was taken to Williams Park Marina in Tampa, the Coast Guard said. The boat will be recovered by a commercial salvage company.
“With adverse weather in the area, we advise boaters to check their vessels and safety gear before getting underway,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Haley, operations specialist at Sector St. Petersburg, in a statement. “Boaters should know the limitations of their vessels and stay off the water if possible.”
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