Video: FL Marine Deputy Saves Fallen Jet Skiers from Oncoming Cruise Ship

Two women operating a jet ski fell off their vehicle in Florida's Port Canaveral Saturday afternoon and were rescued from being struck by a cruise ship by a Brevard County Sheriff's deputy and a quick-thinking harbor pilot.

M Canaveral

VIDEO: FL Marine Deputy Saves Fallen Jet Skiers from Oncoming Cruise Ship

Two women operating a jet ski fell off their vehicle in Florida's Port Canaveral Saturday afternoon and were rescued from being struck by a cruise ship by a Brevard County Sheriff's deputy and a quick-thinking harbor pilot.

Skylar Penpasuglia, 19, and Allison Garrett, 20, both of Princeton, WV, were on Spring Break and riding the jet ski when one of the riders fell from the Jet Ski and it flipped upside down. As the two frantically tried to right the Jet Ski, the wind pushed them into the Port channel; directly into the path of the outgoing Carnival Magic cruise ship.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey wrote on Facebook: "Due to the narrow width of the port’s channel, there was very little room to maneuver the ship; however, Port Canaveral Harbor Pilot Capt. Doug Brown slightly veered the ship when SeaPort Security Marine Deputy Taner Primmer steered his boat into the path of the ship and quickly pulled the two girls onboard the Sheriff’s Office Safe Boat. Once safely onboard, Deputy Primmer immediately backed the Safe Boat out of the ship’s path and into an area of safety. Were it not for the quick actions of both Deputy Primmer and Port Canaveral Harbor Pilot Capt. Doug Brown, the girls could have been pulled under the ship causing potentially serious if not fatal injuries.

"I could not be more proud of the actions of Deputy Tanner Primmer, a member of our SeaPort Security Marine Unit who placed his life in peril without hesitation to rescue the Port visitors, and the Port Canaveral Harbor Pilot Capt. Doug Brown who not only maintained communication with Deputy Primmer, but was able to safely veer the ship, which provided Deputy Primmer the extra seconds needed to save the young girls."

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