Sinking boat found empty 2 miles off Florida beach before swimmer is spotted, cops say

A boater made a desperate decision to try swimming 2 miles to shore after his boat sank in the dark off North Florida, rescuers say.

He had been in the water roughly 90 minutes when deputies with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office found him, according to a news release.

It happened late Saturday, July 1, in waters off Fort Clinch State Park, about 35 miles north of Jacksonville, deputies said.

“Our NCSO Marine Unit spotted his 40 (foot) vessel sinking just two miles off the beach near Fort Clinch ... just after 11:00 p.m.,” officials said.

“When our deputies found the boat they noticed it was empty and they began searching for any occupants. ... NCSO found the boater attempting to swim to shore about a half mile from his vessel.”

The 53-year-old man, who lives in the nearby Georgia, was uninjured when he was pulled aboard the marine unit vessel, but he was “checked out by fire rescue personnel as a precaution.” His identity was not released.

Investigators did not release details on what caused the boat to sink. The vessel did not have a whistle aboard, which would have helped locate the boater, officials said.

It is also recommended boaters do not abandoned their boats if they only partially sink, the sheriff’s office said.

“You should always try and stay with your boat as long as possible since you’ll have a higher chance of drawing attention and attracting help,” deputies said. “If your hull is overturned and still afloat use it for visibility.”

Fort Clinch State Park is just south of the Georgia state line on Florida’s east coast.

This story was originally published July 5, 2023 at 10:57 AM with the headline "Sinking boat found empty 2 miles off Florida beach before swimmer is spotted, cops say."