VENICE, La. — Two children and their parents clung to their overturned boat in the Gulf of Mexico until the Coast Guard could rescue them Wednesday afternoon.
The children, aged 8 and 11, and their parents all were in good shape when they were rescued, Petty Officer Sydney Phoenix said.
The family called in by radio on Wednesday morning to say their 20-foot-long (6-meter-long) boat was taking on water in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Venice, Louisiana, according to a Coast Guard news release.
Once an airplane crew located the boat 17 miles (27 km) south of Southwest Pass, a helicopter was able to lower a rescue swimmer to help them until a Coast Guard boat could arrive.