The United States Coast Guard performs a stunning rescue of a man wearing a life jacket during a hurricane.

On By Yukito

The United States Coast Guard performs a stunning rescue of a man wearing a life jacket during a hurricane.
A helicopter hovers over rough seas as U.S. Coast Guard officers rescue a man 30 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico

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A Coast Guard helicopter crew in Miami rescued a man Thursday about 30 miles off Longboat Key after Hurricane Milton.

The flight crew took the man to Tampa General Hospital for further care after he was found clinging to a refrigerator wearing a life jacket around 1:30 p.m.

Aircraft and helicopter crews from Air Station Clearwater were currently deployed to Aviation Training Center Mobile to avoid the storm, and Air Station Miami took off around 5:30 a.m. to search for the missing captain.

On Monday, the captain of a fishing vessel, Captain Dave, reported to Coast Guard Sector Petersburg watches at approximately 12:40 p.m., he and a crew member became disabled approximately 20 miles off John’s Pass.

The Coast Guard Sand Key lifeboat crew and the Air Station Clearwater rescue helicopter crew responded to the scene. The flight crew lifted both people and transported them back to Clearwater Air Station in good condition. The ship was left adrift and rescue operations had to be undertaken.

On Wednesday around noon, the owner of the fishing vessel, Captain Dave, reported to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg on duty that the captain had returned to the boat to make repairs around 3 a.m. and had not reported. The guards were able to make radio contact with the captain, who reported that the rudder was dirty with a line and that it was malfunctioning during the transit back to port.

The weather at this time was 6-8 foot seas with winds around 30 mph, but deteriorated rapidly as the storm approached. The Coast Guard instructed the captain to put on a life jacket and remain on the ship in the emergency position, using his radio beacon. The guards lost communication around 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday evening.

“This man experienced a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced sailor,” said Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady, head of the St. Sector command center. St. Petersburg. “To understand the severity of hurricane conditions, we estimate that it experienced winds of approximately 75-90 mph and sea depths of 20-25 feet over an extended period, including overnight. He survived thanks to a life jacket, an emergency position indicating a locator beacon and a cooler.”

Source: US Coastguard.

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