4 missing boaters rescued Monday off Marco Island

Four men spent 24 hours clinging to their capsized boat before being rescued Monday morning off Marco Island, a U.S. Coast Guard official said.

The boaters were found at about 9 a.m. Monday following a Coast Guard search off Caxambas Pass, where the men left Sunday morning for a fishing trip. None were expected to be hospitalized, Coast Guard Petty Officer Michael De Nyse said.

“They’re cold, but other than that, no medical emergencies,” De Nyse said.

The fishermen departed at about 6 a.m. Sunday for a day-long trip, headed about 30 miles west of Marco Island, but their 22-foot boat capsized about three hours later, De Nyse said. The wives of the four men called rescuers at about midnight after the fishermen didn’t return. Their boating plan called for a 6 p.m. return to shore.

The location of the rescue was not available, De Nyse said. An investigation is underway to determine what caused the boat to capsize.