A family of four, including two small children, was rescued after their boat capsized Friday night in the Indian River, police said.
- Family of 4 rescued after boat capsized
- 2 adults and 1 child were found quickly
- Officers spent 1 hour looking for 23-month-old
Cocoa Police responded about 10:40 p.m. to an area near the Hubert Humphrey Bridge after multiple reports of a boat crash.
Four patrol officers jumped into the water and began searching for victims, police said.
"We heard the crying, so that was joyful to us," said Officer Matthew Rush. "Usually, instances like this doesn’t turn out like that. A boating accident that severe, with that much damage, could have been a lot worse.”
The adults and one of the children were quickly located. However, officers spent about an hour trying to find a 23-month-old girl. She was later found underneath the overturned boat, staying afloat in a small pocket of air, police said. The girl was wearing a life jacket.
"Great feeling, just seeing her come out like that," said Corporal Alan Worthy. "That hit me a little bit because again, I have a 2-year-old myself. Seeing that, it was a great feeling."
The family was taken to a hospital for evaluation as was in good condition at last check.
Several agencies assisted in the rescue, including the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
FWC is investigating the incident.