Divers rescued near Clearwater Beach

[LuckyLady]

Divers rescued near Clearwater Beach
Updated: Monday, 14 Feb 2011, 8:40 AM EST
Published : Sunday, 13 Feb 2011, 9:48 PM EST

CLEARWATER - Two men on a scuba diving trip were rescued by the Coast Guard Sunday afternoon near Clearwater Beach.

According to a Coast Guard report, Justin Bailey and Charlie Schumaker were approximately 10 miles off the coast just before 4 p.m. when they distress call went out. The men left their 16-foot-vessel to dive and when they came back up, they noticed the boat was taking on water.



A pair of commercial charter fishing vessels from Clearwater -- the Gulf Queen and the Super Queen -- reported they were going to aid the vessel and contacted the Coast Guard for additional assistance.

The Coast Guard Cutter Alligator, an 87-foot ship stationed in St. Petersburg, was diverted from patrol at 3:52 p.m., and headed toward the distressed vessel.

After arriving on scene approximately 20 mintues later, the cutter launched a small boat crew with a pump to assist Bailey and Schumaker. After transferring the men to the boat, the Alligator crew members towed their vessel toward Clearwater as they continued to pump water from it.

Coast Guard Station Sand Key launched a crew aboard a 25-foot Response Boat Small at 4:31 p.m., meeting the tow operation nine miles west of Clearwater.

After relieving Alligator's boatcrew of the tow at 5 p.m., and transferring Bailey and Schumaker, Sand Key's boatcrew continued to bail water from the small boat, which was discovered to have a cracked hull, and safely brought the vessel and two men back to Clearwater Beach.

No injuries were reported.