Following Hurricane Milton, the United States Coast Guard saved a man who was clinging on to a cool about 30 miles off the coast of Florida on Thursday.
In a Thursday media release, Coast Guard officials said,” Coast Guard Air Station Miami aircraft team rescued a man, Thursday, nearly 30 miles off Longboat Key following Hurricane Milton”.
The Coast Guard reported that an aircraft transported the gentleman to Tampa General Hospital for more medical attention after finding him” clinging to a chillier” and wearing a life jacket at about 1: 30 p. m. on Thursday.
The media transfer stated,” Monday, the commander of the fishing vessel Lt. Dave reported to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders, at about 12: 40 p. m., he and a staff member were disabled about 20 kilometers off John’s Pass”.
A Coast Guard Station Sand Key save boat and an Air Station Clearwater rescue helicopter crew were dispatched to the field in response to the report. The crew both rescued the captain and crew member, who were both in” good situation,” and they were both flown back to Air Station Clearwater. Nevertheless, the ship was “left barren” in anticipation of rescue arrangements.
But, at around 12 p. m. on Wednesday, the owner of the ship reported that the skipper had gone up to the vehicle to make fixes at 3 a. m. and had not checked up in. The captain reported a crippled propeller on the fleet as he attempted to explore back to the dock, according to the Coast Guard, and watchstanders were able to reach him.
Coast Guard authorities noted that the wind was “6-8 base seas, and about 30 miles winds” at the time and that the wind was “quickly deteriorating” as Hurricane Milton approached Florida. The Coast Guard therefore instructed the captain to put on a life jacket and remain in the ship’s radio beacon’s emergency position. At roughly 6: 45 p. m. on Wednesday, the Coast Guard watchstanders lost communication with the captain until he was rescued on Thursday.
Commenting on the extraordinary circumstances of the man’s survival, Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady, command center chief for Sector St. Petersburg, said,” This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner. 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”.
A video of Thursday’s Coast Guard rescue was shared on X, formerly Twitter, by USCG Southeast.