Teens help rescue family of six

'We knew this could be serious'

Teens help rescue family of six - Stephanie Vlad et al. posing for the camera - T-shirt
Mason Baker, left, and Will Coffin — both seniors at Coral Shores High School — rescued a family of six on April 7.

A Saturday afternoon fishing trip turned into a rescue mission for two Islamorada teens.

Coral Shores High seniors Will Coffin and Mason Baker were fishing with Coffin’s uncle, Dave Tolhurst, near Conch Reef in the Upper Keys.

“Will’s uncle looks over and points out a boat upside down about 500 yards away from us,” Baker said. “We pulled anchor, called the Coast Guard and putted over to it.”

In the water by the boat were four adults, a 4-year-old and a three-month-old strapped to his mother’s chest. Everyone except the owner of the 22-foot capsized boat waited for the Coast Guard with Coffin and Baker.

“The baby was crying but the little boy was happy. We picked their coolers up out of the water and they still had food in them, so I gave him some food,” Baker said.

He’d never been in a rescue situation prior to Saturday.

“When we saw the baby, we knew this could be a serious situation. Something had gone wrong, but it wasn’t as bad as we thought.”

What caused the boat to capsize has not been released by the Coast Guard. Neither have the names of those who were on it, but the family was reportedly from Melbourne, Fla.

No injuries were reported.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Brandon Murray said the boat is unnamed and there is no investigation into the cause.