'Trapped and helpless': ‘Bachelorette’ contestants rescued 15 miles off coast after boat sank

Five men, including two contestants from the reality TV show “The Bachelorette,” were rescued by two fishermen, after their boat sunk and went under water off the coast of San Diego.

Aaron Schwartzman and Brayden Bowers, both of whom were contestants on this year's edition of "The Bachelorette" were out on the sea with their friends when their boat sunk and the group found themselves stranded in the water, reported KSWB.

“It’s like being trapped and helpless because there’s no service, we weren’t able to send a distress signal at all, and the only thing you have out there is hope, hope that somebody finds you, hope that a helicopter flies over,” Schwartzman, who owned the boat, told KSWB on Monday.

Schwartzman said that he had finally bought the boat of his dreams, only for it "to sink on me". The ship had sunk 15 to 20 miles off the coast of San Diego, according to KSWB.

Bowers told KSWB that his friend Gavin's line got stuck on the engine propeller, so Schwartzman went to the back of the boat to help untangle it when "all of a sudden, as soon as he stands on the swim deck … the boat literally just sunk."

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Staying afloat

The group of men, who included members of the fire service, dispatch and the military, were aware of how to respond in such a situation.

“We just tried to paddle to shore, so we linked arms and we kind of just started kicking,” said Bowers.

“You think of the next steps…. but…what are the next steps when you’re 15 miles in the ocean – in a wind swell?,” Schwartzman added.

The group was in the water for more than three hours when another boat with two fishermen on board spotted them and came for their rescue.

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Rescue

Chris Keeran and his cousin, T.J., spotted the group as they were searching for yellow fin tuna when T.J. said he saw something reflective in the water and went towards it to see if it was holding fish, KSWB reported.

“We were looking for yellow fin tuna and then found a school of men,” said Keeran, adding that they were relieved and grateful to have spotted and rescued the men.

“We don’t consider ourselves heroes; we’re doing whatever any other fisherman would consider doing,” Keeran said. “I’m just so grateful by the grace of God, we actually did see something reflective."

"I mean, once we did find them, that was our best catch of the day," added the fisherman.

Who are Aaron Schwartzman and Brayden Bowers?

Schwartzman and Bowers met while filming the 2023 season of “The Bachelorette.” They were both contestants on the show’s 20th season and were competing for “Bachelorette” Charity Lawson's love along with 23 others.

Schwartzman is a firefighter based in San Diego, while Bowers, who is also from San Diego is a travel nurse.

Lawson did not pick either of them. However, the two are set to participate in Season 9 of Bachelor in Paradise, which will premiere on September 28.

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