A video posted by the United States Coast Guard shows that a man was rescued by helicopter after he was spotted clinging to a cooler about 30 miles off the coast of Longboat Key, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
According to multiple outlets, the man who was rescued on Thursday afternoon by the Coast Guard became stranded in the water after he was knocked off his vessel due to the hurricane.
The USCG News reported that the man, who is the captain of a fishing vessel, was brought to Tampa General Hospital for care after he was found.
USGC News noted that on Monday, the captain reported to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg that he and a crew member were disabled 20 miles off John’s Pass. A Sand Key rescue boat and Clearwater rescue helicopter were deployed to rescue the two people. The vessel was left adrift and salvage arrangements were being made.
Wednesday, around 12 p.m., the owner of the fishing vessel reported to the Coast Guard that the captain went back out to the vessel to make repairs at 3 a.m. and that he had not heard from him. Watchstanders made contact with the captain, where he said that his rudder was fouled with a line and became disabled as he was making his way back.
At this time, the weather was 6-8 seas and 30 mph winds as Hurricane Milton approached. These were expected to escalate. The captain was instructed to wear a life jacket and stay with his boat with an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon so that he could be rescued. Watchstanders eventually lost contact with the captain at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday.
He was found clinging onto the cooler in the water by the Coast Guard on Thursday.
“This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner," said Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady, Sector St. Petersburg's command center chief. "To understand the severity of the hurricane conditions, we estimate he experienced approximately 75-90 mph winds, 20-25 foot seas, for an extended period of time to include overnight. He survived because of a life jacket, his emergency position indicating locator beacon, and a cooler."