Two men were left stranded on a tree limb above the Hillsborough River after their boat overturned and drifted away, prompting a rescue operation by sheriff’s deputies and wildlife officers in an area known for frequent alligator sightings.
Two men in Florida were rescued after their boat capsized on the Hillsborough River, leaving them stranded on a tree branch surrounded by alligator-infested waters. The pair had been travelling downstream through Morris Bridge Park on Tuesday when their vessel tipped over and drifted out of reach, leaving them with no means of returning to shore. Footage released by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office showed the two men balancing on a tree limb hanging over the river as they awaited rescue.
Rescue operation
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the park at around 3.30pm following a service call and located the two men roughly 3,000 feet from the original boat launch site. In a statement posted to Facebook, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said: “Both men were safely rescued by our deputies and a Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) officer. Thankfully, neither was injured.” Footage of the rescue showed officers guiding the men to safety as they carefully climbed down from the tree, with deputies working alongside an FWC officer throughout the operation.
An area known for alligator sightings
Morris Bridge Park is recognised locally for its wildlife, with the Hillsborough County Florida government website describing “frequent sightings of alligators, turtles, water snakes, frogs, and wading birds” in the area. In a statement issued in late July, the county encouraged residents and visitors to remain vigilant near natural bodies of water. “They play an important role in the state’s ecosystem, and residents and visitors should always assume an alligator could be present in any freshwater body,” the website said.
The guidance advised the public to avoid approaching, feeding or otherwise interacting with alligators, and to give any nearby animal plenty of space to move away on its own. It added: “Though serious alligator attacks are rare, recent incidents involving alligators across the state underscore the importance of following a few simple safety precautions near lakes, ponds, rivers, wetlands, and canals.”
Cause of the capsizing unclear
Police have not reported that the two men were approached or attacked by any alligators or other wildlife during the time they were stranded. It remains unclear what caused the boat to capsize, or precisely how long the pair were left waiting on the tree limb before being rescued.
