HERNANDO COUNTY – Three young boaters were rescued after their canoe capsized along the coast in the county.
On June 17 at about 9:36 p.m., the HCSO Aviation Unit, operated by Chief Pilot S. Kling and Deputy/Tactical Flight Officer M. Kay, responded to a report of three young boaters whose canoe had capsized after dark along the Hernando County coastline.
Upon arrival, the Aviation Unit coordinated with responding Hernando County Sheriff’s Office ground patrol units and initiated an aerial search of the area. Using onboard FLIR technology, the Aviation Unit successfully located the three stranded subjects standing in the water near their capsized canoe. The three subjects were located in the coastal waters near Cooglers Island in Hernando County, a remote area inaccessible by vehicle and reachable only by specialized marine rescue assets.
Due to the darkness and challenging environmental conditions, the Aviation Unit maintained visual and thermal contact with the subjects to ensure their safety while rescue resources were deployed.
The Aviation Unit provided precise GPS coordinates, including latitude and longitude, to responding Hernando County Sheriff’s Office personnel and Hernando County Fire Rescue, facilitating the deployment and navigation of an airboat rescue team. Throughout the operation, the Aviation Unit monitored both the stranded subjects and the responding airboat, providing guidance and real-time situational awareness until the rescue team safely reached the subjects.
Through the coordinated efforts of the Aviation Unit, Hernando County Sheriff’s Office ground patrol units, Hernando County Fire Rescue, and other responding personnel, all three individuals were successfully located and rescued.
See the video at https://www.facebook.com/reel/1592331238975909.