The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan assisted five boaters Friday after their boat began taking on water approximately 44 miles north of Key West. 

Coast Guard Sector Key West received a call from a good Samaritan around 9:20 a.m., stating that a powerboat with five people aboard was taking on water.

Sector Key West launched a 45-foot response boat and diverted a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew to the scene.

The good Samaritan arrived first and embarked two of the five people aboard. Then the aircrew arrived, lowered a  pump and the other three people were able to successfully get the water out of the boat. A commercial salvage vessel is schedule to tow the boat to shore.