Watch: Boat captain clinging to cooler rescued 30 miles from Florida coast

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So here’s what it looked like out at sea during Hurricane Milton:

And here is the incredible story of a captain who survived in these waters while clinging to a cooler awaiting rescue:

And I thought Lt. Dan was amazing!

Yes, the Coast Guard tells us they found this fishing boat captain Thursday afternoon 30 miles off the coast of Florida. He was wearing a life jacket and clinging onto a cooler.

A Coast Guard Air Station Miami helicopter crew rescued a man, Thursday, approximately 30 miles off Longboat Key following Hurricane Milton.

The aircrew brought the man to Tampa General Hospital for further care, after he was found clinging to a cooler wearing a life jacket at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Airplane and helicopter crews from Air Station Clearwater currently deployed to Aviation Training Center Mobile for storm avoidance, and Air Station Miami launched at approximately 5:30 a.m. to search for the missing captain.

Here’s what that rescue looked like:

Cheers to the Coast Guard for rescuing this man, but, my goodness, cheers to this captain for somehow riding out the storm.

Here’s how the captain ended up in this predicament:

Monday, the captain of the fishing vessel Capt. Dave reported to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders, at approximately 12:40 p.m., he and a crew member were disabled approximately 20 miles off John’s Pass.

A Coast Guard Station Sand Key rescue boat crew and a Air Station Clearwater rescue helicopter crew arrived on scene. 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.

Wednesday, around noon, the owner of the fishing vessel Capt. Dave reported to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders the captain went back out to the boat to make repairs at approximately 3 a.m. and hadn’t checked in.