CBS News
Coast Guard rescues 5 men after boat capsizes 11 miles off Florida coast
Five people were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after their boat capsized about 11 miles off the coast of Florida, officials said Sunday.
The Jacksonville command center dispatched a Coast Guard boat and helicopter crew at 10:15 a.m. after receiving a call from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reporting that a 24-foot vessel had overturned and that the passengers were in the water, the Coast Guard said in a news release.
U.S. Coast Guard
Upon arrival, the Coast Guard boat crew discovered five men on top of the capsized boat wearing life jackets.
The men were brought aboard the response boat and transported safely back to the Mayport Boat Ramp in Jacksonville, Florida. The Coast Guard released four images from the rescue operation, including a photo showing the men being greeted on shore by their family and personnel from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The vessel was left behind and will be salvaged by its owner, the Coast Guard said. No injuries were reported.
“While on the water, situations can become unpredictable and dangerous in an instant, so it’s crucial to be prepared,” said Jacksonville commander Nick Barrow, who assists with search and rescue missions. “Having life jackets for everyone aboard your vessel can help save lives by providing essential buoyancy and increasing visibility in the water.
Mayport is home to Naval Station Mayport, which boasts the third largest fleet concentration in the United States.
The cause of the capsizing is under investigation.
Last month, seven adults and a child were rescued by the Coast Guard when their boat capsized 36 miles off the coast of Boca Grande, Florida, CBS Miami reported.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
A teacher and student killed in a shooting earlier this week at a school in Madison, Wisconsin, were identified Wednesday by authorities.
The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a news release provided to CBS News that 42-year-old Erin West and 14-year-old Rubi Vergara were fatally shot Monday morning at Abundant Life Christian School.
Preliminary examinations determined the two died of “homicidal firearm related trauma.” Both were pronounced dead at the scene, the medical examiner said.
An online obituary on a local funeral site stated Vergara was a freshman who leaves behind her parents, one brother, and a large extended family. It described her as “an avid reader” who “loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band.”
West’s exact position with the school was unclear.
The medical examiner also confirmed that a preliminary autopsy found that the suspected shooter, 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow — a student at the same school — was pronounced dead at a local hospital Monday of “firearm related trauma.” Madison Chief of Police Shon F. Barnes had previously told reporters that Rupnow was pronounced dead while being transported to a hospital.
Police had also previously stated that she was believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The shooting at the private Christian K-12 school was reported just before 11 a.m. Monday. In addition to the two people killed and the shooter, six others were wounded.
Police said the shooting occurred in a classroom where a study hall was taking place involving students from several grades.
A handgun was recovered after the shooting, Barnes said, but it was unclear where the gun came from or how many shots were fired. A law enforcement source said the weapon used in the shooting appears to have been a 9 mm pistol.
and
contributed to this report.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
