The United States Coast Guard rescued three fishermen who found themselves stranded in the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend.
The men were supposed to return from their fishing trip on Saturday (October 8), but a family member contacted the Coast Guard when they failed to come home.
The 8th Coast Guard District dispatched search crews, who combed around 1,250 square miles of water to locate the three men.
When rescuers found the fishermen on Sunday morning, they were treading water after their boat sank the day before. In addition to being stranded in the water, the men were also trying to fight off sharks.
The rescuers managed to hoist the three men out of the water and then transported them to the hospital. The men are in stable condition after suffering minor injuries. Two of the boaters suffered hand injuries, while the third was showing symptoms of hypothermia.
"Overdue search and rescue cases require watchstanders to engage in time-sensitive research and detective work. The command center team at U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans showed initiative and creativity throughout this case. Their actions were critical in narrowing the search area and locating all three boaters alive," the Coast Guard said in a Facebook post.
The post also included dramatic videos capturing the rescue operation.