The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man on Thursday who was found clinging to a cooler 30 miles off Longboat Key following Hurricane Milton, according to a Coast Guard release.
The man, who was wearing a life jacket, was located around 1:30 p.m. and was transported to Tampa General Hospital for further care.
The captain had initially reported being stranded on Monday when the fishing vessel Capt. Dave became disabled 20 miles off John’s Pass.
He and another crew member were rescued then, but the captain returned to the vessel on Wednesday morning to attempt repairs.
The Coast Guard maintained radio contact until communication was lost around 6:45 p.m. as the storm intensified, bringing 75-90 mph winds and 20-25 foot seas.
Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady of Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg called the ordeal a “nightmare scenario,” noting that the man’s survival was due to his life jacket, emergency locator beacon, and the cooler he held onto during the storm.
Rescue efforts were hampered by the severe weather, which saw rapidly deteriorating conditions with 6-8 foot seas and 30 mph winds that worsened as the hurricane approached.