Coast Guard rescues men found floating on inner tubes off Key Biscayne

Makeshift boat found abandoned in water

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued a group of men floating on inner tubes off Key Biscayne.

The men were spotted in the Atlantic Ocean by a good Samaritan about five miles offshore Wednesday morning.

Coast Guard officials told Local 10 News they found four men on inner tubes and two others in the water. They were brought aboard a Coast Guard cutter.

A makeshift boat made out of Styrofoam was also found abandoned in the water with paddles and an inner tube on board.

Coast Guard officials said the rescued men were evaluated on the cutter to make sure they were in good health.

Because of the U.S. "wet foot, dry foot" policy, the men will be repatriated. The Coast Guard didn't say from which country they left.

"This was nothing more than some inner tubes and some men clinging to them, so this was a very perilous situation," Lt. Col. Gabe Somma said. "It could have ended tragically and our top priority is safety of life at sea."