Couple found clinging to one life preserver had drifted far from boat, Florida cops say

Two swimmers had to be rescued from Tampa Bay after sheriff’s deputies found them struggling to use a single life preserver to stay afloat in the choppy water.

It happened around 7:40 p.m. Monday, April 25, when the couple drifted away from their stalled boat, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The swimmers were spotted by chance in the bay, which is on Florida’s gulf coast, officials said.

“The HCSO Marine Unit was conducting maritime patrols when they observed a disabled vessel with one person on board and two adults in the water,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Both adults in the water were nearly 200 yards away from the boat and in distress. One of the individuals did not have on a life jacket. Deputies rushed to rescue the two stranded boaters.”

Video shows a male and female were pulled aboard the patrol boat, and they appeared to be exhausted. Their identities were not released and the department did not say if they needed medical attention.

Details of what caused their boat to become disabled were also not released, but the two were later taken back to the vessel when it became operational, sheriff’s office officials said.

The rescue was credited to being “in the right place at the right time.”

“I’m so thankful our Marine Unit was on patrol and prepared for a situation like this,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the release.

“Had they not been patrolling the waters, this could have ended very differently.”

This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 10:02 AM with the headline "Couple found clinging to one life preserver had drifted far from boat, Florida cops say."