The three residents of Deland, Fla. filed a float plan with a friend and the vessel's owner before setting out yesterday.  The boat's owner contacted the Coast Guard at approximately 8:47 p.m. Monday, when he realized his friends were overdue.  Despite heavy thunderstorms, a 27-foot boat from Station Yankeetown was launched in tandem with the helicopter from Air Station Clearwater.  The Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission collaborated with Coast Guard crews in the search.

As weather conditions deteriorated in the Tampa Bay area, Alvin Gray, 65, Donald Yazell, 63, and Homer McMillen, 65, began having engine trouble on their 18-foot boat.  The trio began a five-hour effort to walk and swim their boat into shore, somewhere north of Yankeetown.

"Petty Officer Rob Morgan was the rescue swimmer onboard who spotted a fire as we were two-thirds done with our search and rescue flight," says co-pilot Lt. Brian J. McLaughlin.  As Lt. Matt Furlong commanded the flight, the crew spotted a flare leading them directly toward the stranded men.  The rescue swimmer was lowered and confirmed these were the men reported missing.  An FWCC vessel collaborated with the air crew on site, where winds exceeded 25 knots at times.  Working cooperatively, crews determined the safest method of rescue was via helicopter hoist.  There were no reported injuries.

The trio, who had three flares onboard, used two to start a fire on a tiny island in the tangle of mangrove trees near the mouth of the Wacasassa River.  They saved the third flare to alert rescuers.  "That made all the difference," said McLaughlin.

"This is an incredible case," McLaughlin stated.  He added the men were rescued at approximately 4:30 this morning.  "It's always a great day when you safely rescue people."  The fishermen also had personal flotation devices and a Global Positioning System (GPS) onboard.