A daring rescue operation successfully saved two 16-year-old female teenagers who found themselves stranded at sea during a paddleboarding trip. The incident unfolded near the Cedar Key Fishing Pier, north of Tampa, when a group of good Samaritans and multiple agencies combined efforts led to the rescue on Tuesday morning.
The teenagers embarked on their paddleboarding adventure from the Cedar Key Fishing Pier but failed to return. Concerned loved ones reported their absence to authorities, prompting an extensive search effort. The teenagers had attempted to signal a rescue helicopter earlier in the night as it flew over their location three times. Unfortunately, their signals went unnoticed in the darkness.
Jeffries, one of the rescuers, was instrumental in spotting the helicopter. He, along with Captain Will Pauling, Russ Coon, and Lt. Scott Tummond, were pivotal in the teenagers' rescue. The search teams located the teenagers about 14 miles from the pier on an oyster reef.
"They had seen the helicopter fly over three times," said Jeffries.
The rescue operation was a coordinated effort involving multiple agencies and teams. The vast number of volunteers and law enforcement vessels scouring the waters played a crucial role in the successful outcome.
"The number of boats that were on the water last night from our law enforcement agencies is just astounding. Add to that triple or quadruple the number of volunteers that we had out there, that's what made this happen," stated Lt. Scott Tummond.
Upon reaching the stranded teenagers, the rescuers found them cold and exhausted but relatively okay despite their ordeal.
"As soon as we got there, ran over there, they were a little cut up, real cold, probably hypothermic," said Pauling.
The oyster reef's sharp shells presented an additional challenge for the teenagers, who were barefoot and unable to leave their paddleboard to reach safety.
"And they couldn't leave the paddleboard because the oyster shells are so sharp and they were barefooted, so they couldn't go to the spotlight. So they were just hoping that it would go over the top of them," explained Coon.
Despite their precarious situation, the teenagers remained in good spirits throughout their ordeal, thanks in part to the support and reassurance provided by their rescuers.
"I just kind of wanted to, kind of make them feel comfortable in some sort of way. And talking, just, they seemed like they were in good spirits in a bad situation," Jeffries remarked.
