A Coast Guard helicopter crew rescued a man who was left clinging to a cooler in the Gulf of Mexico after his boat was stranded overnight in waters roiled by Hurricane Milton.
The man was aboard a fishing vessel that became disabled Wednesday off Madeira Beach, Florida, hours before the hurricane made landfall, said Coast Guard press officer Nicole Groll.
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The man, who was not identified, was able to radio the Coast Guard station in nearby St. Petersburg before contact was lost about 6:45 p.m.
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But on Thursday searchers located the man about 30 miles off Longboat Key, Florida, clinging to an open cooler chest, a video clip provided by the Coast Guard shows.
In the video, a Coast Guard diver was lowered from a helicopter and swam to the man to pick him up.
#Breaking An @USCG Air Station Miami 65 helicopter crew rescued a man clinging to a cooler approximately 30 mi. off Longboat Key.
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) October 10, 2024
The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical care.
Sector St. Pete lost communications w/ the man at approx. 6:45 p.m., Wed. #SAR pic.twitter.com/64wSHuRAeH
The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical treatment, the Coast Guard said. The fate of his boat was unknown. A hospital spokesperson was not able to provide a condition without the man’s name.
“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."
