Citrus County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit Rescues Nine Boaters

CITRUS COUNTY, FL – This past weekend, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Marine Unit, in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard and the MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, successfully rescued nine boaters from two sinking vessels amid challenging conditions.

The first incident occurred on Saturday, April 13, around noon when a 17-foot fiberglass vessel capsized 14 miles northwest of Shell Island. The CCSO Marine Unit, led by Deputies Sudlow and Seidenstucker, arrived to find two adults in the water. Despite the north wind generating large, six-foot waves, the deputies managed to rescue the individuals, who were cold but uninjured, and transport them to safety at Pete’s Pier in Crystal River.

Later that day, a second rescue was executed approximately 18 miles southwest of Shell Island for a vessel carrying five adults and two juveniles. The boat had lost engine power and was taking on water from the rough seas. Deputies Sudlow, Seidenstucker, and Fischer, along with FWC and the USCG, responded to the distress signal emitted by the boat’s Emergency-Position-Indicating-Radiobeacon. All seven passengers were safely rescued and brought to Pete’s Pier.

Sheriff Mike Prendergast praised the prompt actions of the responders, emphasizing the importance of being prepared for sea conditions and always having the necessary safety equipment on board.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.