PANAMA CITY — A United States Coast Guard air crew rescued four divers about 20 miles off the coast of Panama City overnight Friday.
None of the divers were injured.
The divers were supposed to return from an excursion earlier in the day, and a family member contacted authorities when they didn’t.
A Coast Guard helicopter crew, staged at Destin for the holiday weekend, and a Coast Guard Station Panama City response boat began a search and rescue operation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission about 8 p.m.
The divers were floating together in the water with lit flashlights when a Coast Guard helicopter located them. The aircrew hoisted the four people and brought them to awaiting EMS at Tyndall Air Force Base for a medical evaluation.
Coast Guard officer Justin March said the divers, whose identities were not released, were experienced and suffered no injuries.
It is unknown how they got separated from their boat.
Coast Guard officials said the case demonstrates the importance of filing a float plan with family or a friend, including all information that would help rescuers in case of emergency; how many people aboard, destination, how long you will be out and a description of the boat.
“In this case we had enough information to determine this was a search and rescue case and effectively search when they were supposed to return, where they launched from, and where they were going,” Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Adams, Sector Mobile, said. “The actions of the divers to have a plan, have the right equipment and stay together may have saved their lives.”
An earlier version of this story is posted below:
PANANA CITY -- The Coast Guard has rescued four divers about 20 miles off Panama City.
The condition of the divers was not released Saturday.
A Coast Guard statement says it received a report that the divers had not returned on Friday. A helicopter crew spotted the four divers holding up flashlights in the water. The aircrew hoisted the four people and brought them to awaiting emergency personnel at Tyndall Air Force Base for medical evaluation.
Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Adams says the actions of the divers to have a plan, the right equipment and stay together may have saved their lives.