GULF OF MEXICO - Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Crocodile and Kodiak Island rescue Luke Finch, a three-year-old boy who was allegedly kidnapped by his father Paul Martikainen Dec. 1, 2009, approximately 120 miles southwest of Sanibel Island, Fla.  Crewmembers aboard a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., HC-130 Hercules aircraft spotted Martikainen's 32-foot sailboat at about 5 p.m. Monday.  U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Hallman

GULF OF MEXICO - Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Travis Noyes and Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Pugh, both from the cutter Crocodile, transfer Luke Finch to awaiting crewmembers on a cutter Crocodile smallboat in the Gulf of Mexico Dec. 1, 2009.  Finch was rescued 140 miles southwest of Fort Myers Beach, Fla., after reportedly being kidnapped by his father Saturday.  U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Hallman.

Editors Note:

The arrival time of the cutter Crocodile was been changed.  The new arrival time to Fort Myers Beach, Fla., is scheduled for 5 p.m.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Crewmembers from the Coast Guard rescued Luke Finch aboard his father's 32-foot sailboat at approximately 7:15 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, approximately 140 miles southwest of Fort Myers Beach, Fla.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg were contacted early Sunday morning by Cocoa City Police Department officials, in Cocoa, Fla., requesting assistance in locating Paul Martikainen, 35, and his son, Finch. They reportedly departed Salt Creek Marina, in St. Petersburg, in a 32-foot grey Bristol sailboat at about 4 p.m. Saturday.

Crewmembers aboard a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., HC-130 Hercules aircraft spotted Paul Martikainen's sailboat at about 5 p.m. Monday, while searching a 22,995-square mile area after Finch was reportedly kidnapped by Martikainen Saturday.

Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Crocodile and Coast Guard Cutter Kodiak Island boarded the sailboat at about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday, safely rescued Finch, and took him onboard the Crocodile.  Kodiak Island boarding team members detained Martikainen and are currently towing the sailboat to Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach, Fla., where he will be taken into FBI custody.

Finch is scheduled to arrive at Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach at around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

"We are incredibly happy that we were able to find and rescue Luke unharmed to reunite him with his family," said Capt. Timothy Close, Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg commander.  "There were multiple agencies involved and the we were glad we were able to assist."

The Crocodile is an 87-foot cutter homeported in St. Petersburg.

The Kodiak Island is a 110-foot cutter homeported in Key West, Fla.