"We were joking about how you should get your Batman suit out here, " said Petty Officer First Class Xander Gamble, 28, a Navy mass communication specialist.

WSJ: A Superheroic Caped Crusade to Keep Troops Safe in Afghanistan

Within an hour, 25 people, including one of the children, had been taken to shore by a combination of volunteer boats, the U.S. Coast Guard, and local fire departments, said Sondra Rivera, petty officer first class with the Coast Guard.

WSJ: 3 Children Die After Yacht Capsizes