Video shows moment lightning strikes boat off Florida’s coast; 7 passengers unharmed

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A scary video exhibits the second lightning struck a passenger-filled boat Saturday off the west coast of Florida.

Based on the Coast Guard, seven folks had been rescued from the 39-foot boat after it was hit by lightning whereas touring within the Gulf of Mexico about 100 miles off the coast of Clearwater.

Not one of the passengers had been injured, the Coast Guard mentioned, however the boat was disabled.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew hoisted the 5 feminine and two male passengers and returned them to the air station the place household greeted them.

The Coast Guard mentioned it acquired an EPIRB alert and was capable of contact the proprietor’s spouse who mentioned her husband and others had been a part of a fishing event.

“Lightning storms are routinely encountered within the Florida maritime surroundings and might pose a major hazard to boaters,” mentioned Lt. David McKinley, Coast Guard pilot. “Happily, the boaters, on this case, had been properly ready with all vital security tools together with an EPIRB, flares, and a marine VHF radio to make sure a fast and environment friendly rescue.”

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The vessel proprietor is working with industrial salvage to recuperate the disabled vessel.