A man, clinging to a cooler in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, was saved by a Coast Guard helicopter crew on October 10, around 48 kilometres off Longboat Key. The rescue operation took place around 1:30 pm and the man was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for medical evaluation. He was found wearing a life jacket, which played a big role in his survival during the storm.
The Coast Guard’s Air Station Miami launched the search mission on Thursday morning after receiving reports of a missing captain. The aircrew, alongside support from Air Station Clearwater, was positioned at the Aviation Training Center Mobile for storm avoidance during Hurricane Milton.
The captain, aboard the fishing vessel Capt. Dave initially contacted Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg on the afternoon of October 7. He reported that he and a crew member were stranded about 32 kilometres off John’s Pass. The Coast Guard promptly dispatched a rescue boat and a helicopter, bringing the pair to safety and then to Air Station Clearwater without injury. Capt. Dave was left adrift while salvage arrangements were made.
On October 9, the vessel’s owner notified the Coast Guard that the captain went out to the boat for repairs in the early hours and had not been heard since. However, after a connection was re-established with the captain, he reported that his vessel’s rudder had become fouled with a line, rendering the boat inoperable.
At the time, sea conditions were challenging, with 6 to 8-foot waves and winds of about 48 kmph. However, the weather rapidly worsened as Hurricane Milton approached. The Coast Guard instructed the captain to wear a life jacket and remain near the vessel’s emergency position indicating a radio beacon. Unfortunately, communication was lost on the evening of October 9.
“This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner,” said Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady, chief of the command centre at Sector St. Petersburg. “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.”
Hurricane Milton made landfall on October 9 near Siesta Key, a barrier island located just south of Sarasota on Florida’s central west coast. Initially, the storm struck as a formidable Category 3 hurricane, with sustained winds reaching approximately 193 kmph. However, as it moved inland, it weakened to a Category 2 storm.