The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a husband and wife and their two children this week after they were spotted clinging to an overturned boat in the Gulf of Mexico.
The frightening ordeal began Wednesday morning off the coast of Venice, Louisiana, according to The Associated Press.
The family of four, including children ages 8 and 11, immediately radioed for help when their 20-foot boat began taking on water.
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Responding to the SOS, an airplane crew located the stranded family 17 miles south of Southwest Pass, far out beyond the bayous of New Orleans where the Mississippi River ultimately spills into the Gulf.
A helicopter was dispatched and lowered a diver to assist them until a Coast Guard boat arrived at the scene, the AP reported. They were then rescued in the afternoon.
All were wearing life vests and in good condition when they were found, Petty Officer Sydney Phoenix said in a statement.
Authorities did not say how long the family had been in the water.
Their names were not given nor where they were from.
The family members simply walked away once they made it back to dry land in Venice, the AP reported.
“The fact that they were able to call in on channel 16 using their radio and reported the situation and how many people were aboard greatly assisted the crews in the search,” Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Plummer told the AP. “The crews knew what they were looking for and the general area the call came from, which resulted in the family’s safe return.”
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