HOBE SOUND, Fla. (WFLA) — First responders said it was nothing short of “a miracle” after a young swimmer who went missing Sunday was found 500 yards off the coast of Florida.
Martin County Fire Rescue received a call regarding a missing swimmer just before 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Firefighters said it’s a call that always gives them a “sinking feeling.”
A teen swimming near Florida’s Blowing Rocks Preserve had gone under, and his father lost sight of him in the water.
A “massive, emotional” response ensued, and crews from multiple agencies spent well over an hour searching for the boy, according to Martin County Fire Rescue.
Authorities said they were “hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.”
Then, a private captain with Towboat USA spotted the boy about a mile north of where he was last seen. The teen was pulled from the water, and first responders came to pick him up and medically clear him.
In a social media post Sunday night, Martin County Fire Rescue said the boy was OK and was now back with his family.
“After two devastating child drownings in Martin County in just the last 48 hours, we can’t express how grateful we are that today ended differently,” officials said Sunday.