Man clinging to cooler plucked from Florida’s waters after Hurricane Milton

A antheral clinging to a cooler successful the Gulf of Mexico was rescued by a U.S. Coast Guard chopper squad Thursday, aft this vessel was stranded overnight successful the turmoil caused by Hurricane Milton.

The man, lone identified by officials arsenic “Capt. Dave,” was capable to marque interaction with the seashore defender connected Monday to study that the sportfishing vas helium was moving connected had go disabled astir 30 kilometres disconnected John’s Pass, Fla.

A section seashore defender crew, with the assistance of an Air Station Clearwater chopper crew, flew retired to airlift Capt. Dave and different unit subordinate to safety.

But astir noon connected Wednesday, the proprietor of the vessel called officials to accidental the skipper had returned to the vessel astir 3 a.m. that day, successful the hopes of making repairs and bringing the vessel to safety.

Just hours earlier the hurricane made landfall, officials made contact with Capt. Dave, who reported that the boat’s rudder was fouled with a enactment and had go disabled. Coast defender unit mislaid interaction with him, but not earlier they were capable to counsel that helium enactment connected a life-jacket and clasp choky to his exigency locator beacon.

At the time, according to the seashore guard, the skipper was navigating his stricken vessel successful six- to eight-foot-high waves and astir 50 km/h winds, with conditions rapidly deteriorating arsenic the tempest approached.

On Thursday morning, arsenic the tempest moved distant from Florida, searchers located the antheral astir 50 kilometres disconnected Longboat Key, clinging to an unfastened cooler.

Video of the rescue shows a seashore defender diver lowered from a chopper earlier swimming implicit to the antheral to prime him up.

“This antheral survived successful a nightmare scenario for adjacent the astir experienced mariner,” Lt.-Cmdr. Dana Grady, Sector St. Petersburg’s bid centre chief, said successful a statement.

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“To recognize the severity of the hurricane conditions, we estimation helium experienced astir 75 to 90 mph (120 to 150 km/h) winds, 20 to 25 ft seas, for an extended play of clip to see overnight,” Grady continued, estimating the antheral was successful the h2o for astir 24 hours.

“He survived due to the fact that of a beingness jacket, his exigency presumption indicating locator beacon and a cooler.”

The antheral was taken to Tampa General Hospital for further attraction pursuing the harrowing ordeal.

Rescue operations successful the aftermath of Hurricane Milton are ongoing aft the Category 3 tempest tore done the Gulf of Mexico earlier leaving a way of demolition crossed a wide swath of the Florida peninsula.

In a video posted connected Facebook Thursday, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office shared the rescue of a 14-year-old lad who was recovered clinging to debris aft becoming stranded successful floodwater.

The video shows the officers arriving by vessel and lifting the teen from the water.

While Milton caused extended damage, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the country was spared from the worst-case scenario that officials feared.

Millions of Floridians remained without powerfulness Friday.