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Unresponsive man pulled from fiery boat in South Florida

Martin County boat fire rescue WPTV Aug.
Posted at 10:26 PM, Aug 15, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-16 11:11:35-04

A boater in the waters off South Florida's eastcoast was taken to a hospitalon Sunday evening after marine deputies pulled him out of a burning boat while he appeared to have trouble responding.

The rescue, at the Manatee Pocket in Port Salerno near Pirates Cove in Martin County, Florida became a dramatic scene with people nearby recording the rescue as deputies worked frantically to free the man.

Martin County Sheriff's Office Deputies Buddy Sprott and Dan Hill pulled the unresponsive boater out from the cabin moments before it collapsed, WPTV reported.

Deputies said the flames from the burning vessel were so hot that they melted part of the sheriff's office's marine unit boat.

The condition of the boater was not entirely clear after the rescue, but neither deputy was injured.

This story was originally published by WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida.