Three adult men were left drifting in open waters off the Florida Keys on Wednesday, during the first day of the spiny lobster mini-season, and were rescued after a Navy helicopter located them nearly two nautical miles from the point where they had entered the water, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The incident occurred at a reef off Duck Key, in the Middle Keys of Monroe County, when the trio separated from their vessel due to adverse sea conditions.
Authorities were notified of the disappearance shortly before noon and immediately activated a joint operation that involved the FWC, the Coast Guard Station in Marathon, and the U.S. Navy Search and Rescue team in Key West.
In less than half an hour, at 12:12 p.m., a Navy helicopter spotted the three divers floating in the water.
FWC officers brought them and all their equipment aboard the patrol vessel, and shortly after, they reunited them with their own dive boat.
No injuries were reported among those rescued.
Images from the body cameras of the FWC agents captured the moment the officers spotted the three men in the water before rescuing them.
Captain Adam Garrison, supervisor of the Monroe County Area of the FWC, emphasized the importance of coordinated response: "Every minute counts during a water search. The seamless coordination between the FWC, the Coast Guard, and the Navy Search and Rescue team, along with the combined use of our maritime and aerial resources, allowed for a swift and safe resolution for these divers."
The rescue took place during a particularly eventful mini lobster season, which was held on July 29 and 30 and drew tens of thousands of divers and boaters to southern Florida.
Days before the event, the Coast Guard and the FWC had issued safety warnings reminding participants to slow down near diving flags, turn off the engine when there are divers in the water, and never dive alone.
In addition to the rescue of three divers off Duck Key, the preliminary report of the 2026 lobster mini-season did not record any fatalities. Authorities highlighted the rescue of the divers and the care given to an injured sea turtle, in addition to stating that no arrests were made.
In previous years, fatal accidents did occur. In 2022, four people died during mini-season week, two of them on July 27, when recreational harvesting began.
In 2025, an 82-year-old man was found unresponsive while snorkeling off Grassy Key, and a 61-year-old man lost consciousness the next day; both were pronounced dead in hospitals in the Keys.
Related videos:
Filed under: