Two rescued after sailboat sinks off Captiva

CAPTIVA, Fla.- Two boaters were rescued off the north end of Captiva around 3:30 Saturday morning.

A press release from Lee County deputies stated the two called for help early in the morning, but they lost communication immediately after.

Search and rescue units from the United States Coast Guard and Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area near Red Fish Pass, where they found a sailboat being battered by the high surf.

A short time later, Marine deputies heard a man screaming for help, and that is when they found two men in the water. Both men were taken to the South Seas Plantation marina so medical crews could check them. Deputies said there were roughly 4 to 8 foot swells and 30 mile per hour winds during the time of the rescue.

Officials later determined water entering the sailboat had caused a small electrical fire, and that caused the radio to stop working.