2 stabbing victims rescued on boat off Florida coast

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued two men who reportedly were stabbed on board their fishing vessel off Florida’s Gulf coast.

In a news release, Coast Guard officials said they were notified Sunday night that two crew members of the commercial vessel Bill B were stabbed by a third member about 40 miles (65 kilometres) south of Pensacola.

Coast Guard crews hoisted the men to a helicopter and took them to Pensacola Baptist Hospital. Officials say one crew member was in stable condition, the other was listed as critical.

A Coast Guard boat crew detained the suspect and towed the boat to Perdido Pass, Alabama.

Coast Guard spokesman Brandon Giles says the unidentified suspect has been turned over to Coast Guard Investigative Services and charged with two counts of assault with deadly weapon on the high seas.