1 woman died, 7 others survived the sinking boat off of Islamorada

One woman died when a commercial dive boat carrying eight people sank Sunday afternoon in the Atlantic Ocean off Islamorada Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The agency said it responded to the 30-foot commercial diving boat "Get Wet" after it took on water near the Molasses Reef with two passengers trapped within the hull.

A Good Samaritan aboard the pleasure craft "Visibility" reported the incident around 2 p.m. and was able to rescue seven survivors before more help arrived.

The eighth passenger, a 36-year-old woman, was later pronounced dead, Coast Guard Petty Officer Nick Ameen said Monday. She was one of the two people trapped inside the hull, he said. The other trapped person was a 28-year-old man who was taken to a hospital and was expected to survive.

The home port for the "Get Wet" is Key Largo, Ameen said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also responded, and a commercial salvage company is to salvage the vessel.

The Coast Guard thanked the civilian mariner who saved the "Get Wet" crew and passengers.

"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims of this tragic occurrence," Capt. Pat DeQuattro, commander of Coast Guard Sector Key West said Sunday.

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