7 rescued in Florida Keys after 20 long hours by: Marcella Marquez

Last Sunday October 9^th, seven of the eight people who were fishing in Florida Keys were found after 20 hours of being stranded. The party of family and friends set off Saturday Morning from Layton in the Middle Keys. The 22 foot boat that later capsized belonged to one of the people in the group. That days forecast predicted heavy rains and powerful winds, but “It could have been beautiful when they got under way and then turned quickly.” said Master Chief Petty Officer Charles Lindsey of the Coast Guard. The party dropped anchor not too far from Long Key Bridge in the Middle Keys. A windstorm then hit with winds up to 40 mph and swells of about 10 feet. The boat flipped on Saturday at around noon. On Sunday morning around 20 hour’s later Seaman Kendra Graves of the Coast Guard “got their first sighting of the missing party: a cluster of heads bobbing in the water, with something box-like floating with them.” (NY Times)  The women and 4 year old child held on to a blue cooler that served as a life saver, luckily 2 of them where wearing life vests. The men held on to a portion of the boat that was not under water, they were close to 8 miles away from the women. “They were very lucky," said a Coast Guard rescuer, referring to the seven that were found. Unluckily an 80 year old woman mother of one of the women’s husbands was lost and is thought to be dead.