LITTLE TORCH KEY, Fla. - Three visiting California teens are safe in the Florida Keys thanks to a marine deputy who rescued them from atop a capsized boat.

Monroe County Sheriff's spokeswoman Becky Herrin says 18-year-olds Zack Sowder and Brent Shishido and 16-year-old Jacob Sowder - all of Orange County, California - climbed atop the capsized boat and called 911 on a cellphone Tuesday.

The teens were perched on the overturned hull, their life jackets trapped under the 22-foot vessel, when Marine Deputy James Hagar arrived in a boat. Sheriff's officials say the teens were fortunate to have a strong-enough cellphone signal and to know their general location.

Herrin says the boat took on water 2 ½ miles off Little Torch Key, quickly capsizing.

Little Torch Key is about 30 miles north of Key West.