The Hawaii County Fire Department rescued three people and a dog this afternoon from a sinking boat in Hilo Bay.

The small recreational dinghy was nearly submerged at 12:51 p.m. and about 100 yards offshore of the Hilo bayfront with the people in the water and the dog still in the boat, the fire department said in a report.

Fire personnel aboard a rescue boat launched from Wailoa Harbor and, once on scene, transferred the people and dog onto the rescue boat, and brought them to Wailoa Harbor for evaluation by Medic 1 team.

The boat was towed to a nearby sandy shoreline.

A total of eight units responded, and the first unit was on scene at 12:56 p.m., and concluded rescue operations at 1:41 p.m.

Fire officials remind boat captains to provide life vests for all aboard their boats.