SoFla Boaters Rescued After Ship Sinks

Three found clinging to cooler near Bahamas: Coast Guard

Three boaters are lucky to be alive after they were found clinging to a water cooler by a Miami Coast Guard crew after their boat went down near the Bahamas Sunday.

Bruce Mandigo, Dave Mandigo and Jhade Woodall had left from Boynton Beach and were anchored near West End in the Bahamas when their 35-foot boat sank Sunday morning.

The three were able to put life jackets on and turn on a personal locator beacon signal. The Coast Guard Cutter Bluefin was dispatched to the area and found the three men clinging to a water cooler.

Coast Guard officials said they were cols and hungry but in good health.

"These boaters survived a potentially fatal accident because they were prepared," Capt. Chris Scraba, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Miami, said in a release. "They immediately donned life jackets, which allowed them to stay afloat until they were rescued and they activated their PLB, which provided the Coast Guard precise location information."

It's unknown how the boat sank.

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