Coast Guard rescues man clinging to cooler in waters off Florida’s Longboat Key

Oct. 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard Thursday rescued a man found clinging to a cooler in the water off Florida's Longboat Key in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

Two men were rescued in the operation, one from a vessel and the other from the water, the Coast Guard said in a statement .

"This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner," said St. Petersburg's command center chief Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady said. "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."

Airplane and helicopter crews from Air Station Clearwater launched a 5 a.m. EDT search for the man in the water about 30 miles off Longboat Key.

The man was lifted onto a helicopter and brought to Tampa General Hospital after he was found at approximately 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

"A Coast Guard Station Sand Key rescue boat crew and a Air Station Clearwater rescue helicopter crew arrived on scene," the Coast Guard said in a statement. "The aircrew hoisted the two people and brought them back to Air Station Clearwater in good condition. The vessel was left adrift and salvage arrangements were to be made."

The drama unfolded when the owner of fishing vessel Capt. Dave reported to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg that the captain of that vessel had gone back out to the boat to make repairs at approximately 3 a.m. and hadn't checked back in.

In a radio communication, the captain was told by the Coast Guard to don a life jacket and stay with the vessel's emergency position indicating radio beacon. The Coast Guard later lost radio contact with the man.

Both the captain and a crew member were rescued.