By Kameel Stanley, Times Staff Writer
Friday, September 10, 2010
Two men were rescued Friday afternoon after their boat caught fire about four and a half miles southwest of Anclote Key.
The Hudson residents, James Preston Sanchez, 75 and his brother Gordon Lee Sanchez, 59, were on a 47-foot commercial fishing boat called Miss Delores when they ran into trouble about 12:30 p.m.
Flames were coming from the engine of the vessel, which had recently had some electrical repairs. The brothers put on life jackets and moved to the back of the boat and prepared to abandon ship.
That's when Michael Guy and Katherine Heath showed up. The pair were fishing at Tarpon Reef on a recreational boat when they saw the fire.
Guy and Heath brought the Sanchez brothers onto their boat. Eventually, they were met by a sheriff's marine deputy, who transported them to a Coast Guard boat.
The Coast Guard brought the men to shore. Their burning boat is still in the water but is expected to be towed to shore later.