CHILLING PHOTO: Florida man, dog rescued after sailboat sinks 25 miles out in Gulf

Related video: Gov. DeSantis provides 5:30 p.m. update on Hurricane Helene

CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida man and his dog were rescued on Thursday, the United States Coast Guard announced.

The Coast Guard said the man’s 36-foot sailboat became disabled and started taking on water during Hurricane Helene approximately 25 miles off of Sanibel Island.

Helene is a Category 4 hurricane and is nearing landfall, according to the National Hurricane Center.

At 9 p.m., the NHC reported that Helene had maximum sustained winds of 140 and was located 65 miles west of Cedar Key while moving north-northeast at 24 mph.

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