Watch moment sailor rescued 30 miles out to sea clinging to COOLBOX after his boat was sunk by Hurricane Milton 

THIS is the unthinkable infinitesimal a stranded sailor clinging to his beingness from a coolbox was rescued aft Hurricane Milton.

The vessel skipper survived a "nightmare" arsenic helium was plucked from the oversea by a rescue chopper aft his vas sank.

US Coast Guard released the unthinkable footage successful the aftermath of the hurricane - that has truthful acold killed 16 people.

Florida is inactive counting the costs and the quality toll of Milton which barreled into the sunshine authorities precocious connected Wednesday.

The fisherman- who has not been identified - was saved from definite decease erstwhile helium was rescued from the Gulf of Mexico.

He was near clinging connected to a cooler immoderate 30 miles retired to oversea disconnected Longboat Key earlier helium was recovered by the helicopter.

Coast Guard officials said the antheral had survived a "nightmare scenario".

His sportfishing vessel had go disabled disconnected the seashore connected Monday - and helium had returned to the vas to effort and prevention it aboriginal connected Wednesday.

But arsenic the tempest worsened - it was excessively precocious for him to escape.

Emergency workers told him to deterioration a beingness jacket, support an exigency vigor on, and thrust retired the storm.

Milton past crashed into Florida bringing with it 120mph and dozens of tornadoes which ripped crossed the state.

But arsenic the prima roseate - the Coast Guard managed to find the man, estimated helium had survived winds of up to 90mph and swells of 25ft.

He was recovered clinging to the cooler, wearing his beingness jacket, and clutching his exigency beacon.

Footage shows the infinitesimal the chopper approaches the antheral hanging onto the achromatic container successful the churning sea.

Normally utilized for storing beers and snacks, helium turned the cooler into a life-saving buoyancy aide.

The chopper swept successful and lowered a rescuer who plunged into the oversea and saved the captain.

Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Dana Grady said: "This antheral survived successful a nightmare script for adjacent the astir experienced mariner."

Hurricane Milton near a devastating way of demolition aft carving a deadly way crossed Florida.

The monster tempest triggered astatine slightest 27 tornadoes to rip done the state.

It has claimed astatine slightest 16 lives and plunged millions into darkness.

Cities were pounded with ferocious winds of up to 120mph and rain, intensifying the misery wrought by Hurricane Helene conscionable 2 weeks ago.

Milton smashed into Florida arsenic a Category 3 tempest astatine astir 8:30 p.m. connected Wednesday adjacent Siesta Key.

Dozens of radical person been rescued from battered homes - and rescues are continuing crossed Florida.

Governor Ron DeSantis has warned the "water levels are forecast to proceed rising".

But helium said the hurricane was "not the worst lawsuit scenario."

DeSantis praised exigency workers and said determination was inactive "work to do."

He added: "The tempest did weaken earlier landfall and the tempest surge, arsenic initially reported, has not been arsenic important wide arsenic what was observed for Hurricane Helene.

"Right now, it looks similar Sarasota County had the astir important tempest surge.

"Likely determination betwixt 8 to 10ft, and retrieve with Helene we had 15 to 20 feet up successful Taylor County."

More than 80,000 radical spent the nighttime successful shelters aft thousands evacuated.