A birthday party they will never forget.

Four boaters who were stranded atop a capsized 24-foot sailing vessel for 20 hours when a birthday fishing trip was turned upside down were rescued by the US Coast Guard 26 miles off the coast of Clearwater, Florida on Tuesday.

The four relatives embarked on a celebratory fishing trip from the Seminole Street Boat Ramp in Clearwater at about 9:30 a.m. on Monday, and anticipated returning by 4 p.m. after a day on the water, the Clearwater Police Department said.

When family members of the fisherman grew concerned that the group hadn’t returned, they contacted the Clearwater Police Department around 8:30 p.m. on Monday night, triggering a massive search effort for the wayward boaters.

After 20 hours at sea, a plane from the US Coast Guard Air Stat

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