Coast Guard rescues struggling sea turtle in waters off the Florida Keys

The Key West Station of the United States Coast Guard rescued a distressed sea turtle on Thursday located near Sunset Key, a small private island just 500 yards off the coast of Key West, in the Florida Keys.

The operation, shared by the Coast Guard on social media, was conducted in coordination with the Marathon Sea Turtle Hospital.

At least three officers in blue uniforms participated in the rescue, handling the animal on the deck of the patrol boat before transferring it to the dock. From there, the turtle was transported in a vehicle marked with the acronym "STA KW" —Station Key West— and the emblem of the Coast Guard.

The animal was taken to the Marathon Turtle Hospital for medical evaluation and rehabilitation process. "Protecting our waterways means protecting the wildlife that inhabits them," noted the Southeast Coast Guard in its official post.

This is not the first time in 2026 that the Key West Station has acted in defense of these species.

In July, the same unit rescued a loggerhead turtle weighing nearly 300 pounds that was swimming erratically about seven miles south of Sugarloaf Key. Upon arriving at the hospital, this specimen received fluid therapy, antibiotics, and medical examinations.

The Marathon Turtle Hospital, founded in 1986 by Richie Moretti, is recognized as the world's first state-licensed veterinary hospital dedicated exclusively to sea turtles.

Since its establishment, it has rehabilitated and returned to the sea more than 3,000 specimens, and works in close coordination with the Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

In the Florida Keys, five of the seven marine turtle species in the world inhabit: the loggerhead, the green, the leatherback, the hawksbill, and the Kemp's ridley. All are protected under U.S. federal law.

The main threats they face include collisions with vessels, ingestion of plastic and fishing lines, loss of nesting areas, and a disease known as fibropapillomatosis.

Florida has recorded unusually intense activity in sea turtle rescue operations in 2026.

In February, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rescued hundreds of turtles affected by extreme cold in several counties across the state, and in August, Florida recorded some of its worst documented tragedies involving sea turtles of the year.

The turtle rescued this Thursday remains under veterinary care in Marathon while specialists assess the extent of its injuries and the time needed for its recovery before a possible return to the sea.