A man clinging to a cooler in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter crew about 30 miles off Longboat Key on Oct. 10. Rescue efforts took place around 1:30 p.m., and the man was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for medical evaluation. He was found wearing a life jacket, which played a major role in his survival during the storm.
The Coast Guard Air Station Miami began a search operation Thursday morning after receiving reports that the captain was missing. During Hurricane Milton, the crew was stationed at the Mobile Air Training Center to shelter from the storm, with support from Air Base Clearwater.
The captain of the fishing vessel Captain Dave first contacted the St. Petersburg Coast Guard on the afternoon of October 7. He reported that he and his crew were stranded approximately 20 miles off the coast of John’s Pass. The Coast Guard immediately dispatched a rescue boat and a helicopter to transport the two men to safety and transport them to Clearwater Air Base with no injuries. Captain Dave remained adrift while arrangements were made for his salvage.
On October 9, the ship’s owner notified the Coast Guard that the captain had gone out to make repairs early in the morning and had not been heard from since. However, after contact was re-established with the captain, the captain reported that the ship’s rudder had become fouled with threads, rendering the ship inoperable.
Sea conditions were difficult at the time, with waves 6 to 8 feet and winds around 30 miles per hour. However, the weather rapidly deteriorated as Hurricane Milton approached. The Coast Guard instructed the captain to wear a life jacket and remain near the ship’s emergency location, which is marked by a radio beacon. Unfortunately, communication was lost on the night of October 9th.
“This man survived a scenario that would be a nightmare for even the most experienced sailor,” said Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady, St. Petersburg Sector Command Center Director. “To understand the severity of the hurricane situation, it is estimated that he experienced winds of approximately 75 to 90 miles per hour and sea depths of 60 to 25 feet for an extended period of time, including overnight. He was wearing a life jacket. , an emergency location beacon, and a cooler helped me survive.”
Hurricane Milton made landfall on October 9 near Siesta Key, a barrier island located just south of Sarasota on Florida’s central west coast. The storm initially struck as a formidable Category 3 hurricane, with sustained wind speeds of approximately 120 miles per hour. However, as it moved inland, it weakened and became a Category 2 storm.
