A fishing boat captain survived Hurricane Milton off Florida’s coast by clinging to a cooler for hours. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued him 30 miles from shore after an intense search.
The trouble started on Monday when the fishing boat Capt. Dave broke down 20 miles from John’s Pass in Florida. The Coast Guard rescued the captain and a crew member, bringing them to safety. But the story took a turn when the captain went back to the boat alone to try and fix it.
On Wednesday around noon, the boat’s owner told the Coast Guard in St. Petersburg that the captain had gone to the boat at 3 a.m. to make repairs and hadn’t checked in. The Coast Guard talked to the captain by radio. He said the rudder was tangled with a line, leaving the boat stuck as he tried to return to port.
At that time, the weather was getting worse. There were 6-8 foot waves and 30 mph winds. The Coast Guard knew Hurricane Milton was coming, so they told the captain to put on a life jacket and keep hold of the boat’s emergency beacon.
As the storm got stronger, the Coast Guard lost contact with the captain at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday. This was about two hours before Hurricane Milton hit land 20 miles south of John’s Pass. The hurricane brought winds up to 90 mph and waves as high as 25 feet. Even experienced sailors would find these conditions terrifying.
Despite the dangerous weather, the Coast Guard started searching for the captain early Thursday morning. At 5:30 a.m., planes and helicopters from Air Station Clearwater and Air Station Miami took off to find him.
After eight hard hours of searching, they spotted the captain 30 miles from Longboat Key. He was holding onto an open cooler and wearing his life jacket. The Coast Guard quickly rescued him and took him to Tampa General Hospital for care.
Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady from the Coast Guard in St. Petersburg explained how bad the conditions were. “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,” Grady said. “He survived because of a life jacket, his emergency position indicating locator beacon, and a cooler.”
Hurricane Milton caused a lot of damage across Florida, killing at least 15 people. The storm created powerful tornadoes before it hit land and brought heavy rains that flooded both coasts of the state.
The timing of Hurricane Milton made things even worse. It came right after Hurricane Helene, which had hit Florida and other states in late September. These back-to-back storms really tested coastal communities and emergency teams.
This dramatic rescue reminds us how brave and skilled the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard are. They risk their lives to save others, even in the worst conditions. It also shows why it’s so important to pay attention to weather warnings and be careful when big storms are coming.
We pray for the captain as he recovers and for everyone affected by Hurricanes Milton and Helene. We ask God to comfort and strengthen those who are rebuilding their lives after these storms.
Let’s also pray for the Coast Guard and all first responders, asking God to protect them as they do their important work.
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