17-year-old boy rescued after falling off jet ski near Fantasy Island in Tampa
By: Deputies rescued a 17-year-old boy from the water after he fell off a jet ski in Tampa.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said on Saturday, March 25, just after 7 p.m. a teenager on a jet ski frantically approached deputies saying a friend had fallen off his jet ski somewhere in Tampa Bay.
The teen told deputies that he and his 17-year-old friend were traveling from Fantasy Island, and at some point his friend fell off the jet ski.
The sheriff's office said marine units were immediately dispatched to search for the boy. Crews backtracked the route the two took, and with assistance from the aviation unit, deputies were able to find the teen.
Body cam video shows the moment the teenager was found and pulled from the water.
"This was such a frightening situation," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "This is a high-traffic boating area, making it especially hazardous. I'm so glad these teens wore life vests because this could've ended tragically. I commend our deputies for acting so quickly."
The sheriff's office said the boy was brought to Davis Island with no reported injures.