Bradenton, Fla.-(Newsradio 970 WFLA)-The U.S. Coast Guard and a good Samaritan join forces to rescue three people after their helicopter crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, just two miles west of Anna Maria Island.
While Coast Guard Station Cortez dispatched a 29 foot boat, there was already a good Samaritan nearby. That person was able to pull all three survivors of the crash from the water into his small boat.
The crash victims were then transported to the Coquina boat ramp where emergency medical personnel were ready to take them to Blake Medical Center in Bradenton. All three are expected to make a full recovery.
The cause of the helicopter crash remains under investigation.
Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard