BOATER MISSING FOR MORE THAN 36 HOURS RESCUED, SECOND FOUND DEAD

March 24, 2005

MARCO ISLAND, Fla. – The Coast Guard located the two boaters missing since Saturday night, one alive, one dead.

Jose Augustine Delgado, 41, was found alive 30 miles west of Marco Island and hoisted from the water by a rescue crew in an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Clearwater around 9 this morning. He was taken to Lee Memorial Hospital where he is being treated for hypothermia.

Delgado’s wife, Maria Perez, 35, was found dead by the Coast Guard Cutter Hawk, out of St. Petersburg, Fla. She will be transported to Coast Station Ft. Myer’s Beach and turned over to the Lee County coroner’s office.

The couples’ 23-foot center console boat has not been located.

The search began Saturday night immediatly after being notified by a friend that they had not returned home by dark as expected.

Since Satuday night an extensive search for the missing boaters has been underway and included numerous boats and aircraft from the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the Marco Island Police Department. In all, more than 29 flight hours and 14 boat and ship hours have been spent searching.

The cause of the accident is unknown at this point. Delgado was using lifejackets and clinging to floating debris to stay afloat when he was found, actions that likely contributed to saving his life.

“We are happy that through hard work by our search teams, as well as some good luck, we were able to rescue one of the two missing. We are saddened by the death of the other and our sympathies are with the families and friends of the victims.” said Capt. David Durham, chief of search and rescue for the Seventh Coast Guard District.

“Even with a timely report of someone overdue, as in this case, it is extremely hard to spot a person in the open ocean and we always urge boaters to take the proper precautions to help us come to your aid,” he continued.

Boaters in distress can help rescuers locate them by using visual aids such as life jackets, flares, signal mirrors and strobe lights as well as staying with the boat or other large floating debris whenever possible. Boaters are also strongly encouraged to wear Personal Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacons (PEPIRBs), that allow rescuers to home in on your exact location.

BOATER MISSING FOR MORE THAN 36 HOURS RESCUED, SECOND FOUND DEAD

MARCO ISLAND, Fla. – The Coast Guard located the two boaters missing since Saturday night, one alive, one dead.

The couples’ 23-foot center console boat has not been located.

The search began Saturday night immediatly after being notified by a friend that they had not returned home by dark as expected.

The cause of the accident is unknown at this point. Delgado was using lifejackets and clinging to floating debris to stay afloat when he was found, actions that likely contributed to saving his life.

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