MIAMI – A fun day on the water for a South Florida family turned harrowing Sunday after the boat they were in began to take on water.

Captain Bret Lyons of iTowBOATS heard the call for help on his radio and happened to be very close to the sinking 17-foot boat near Hobie Beach.

“Most of the people were on Good Samaritan boats, they were picked up out of the water,” said Lyons. “Then one guy was on top of the vessel, the other was swimming, trying to collect belongings.”

He says he was just one of many people who were able to help the eight people on board, which the Coast Guard said included an infant.

“They were passing the baby back and forth to other people to keep afloat,” said Lyons.

The people on board were all taken to Dinner Key Marina, luckily all doing just fine thanks in part to the quick actions of ordinary people.

“It’s the water, so it’s unpredictable,” said Lyons. “You never know what could happen out there.”