Coast Guard rescues man clinging to cooler 30 miles off Florida coast as Milton approached

Before Milton’s arrival this week, the U.S. Coast Guard twice assisted a Florida boater who was found hanging from a cooler in Gulf waters during his second rescue, video shows.

Around noon Monday, a fishing vessel captain named Captain Dave reported to St. Petersburg Coast Guard Sector watchmen that he and a crew member were disabled approximately 20 miles off John’s Pass near St. Petersburg, Florida, along the Gulf Coast . , according to a USCG news report.

A Coast Guard rescue boat crew and a rescue helicopter crew arrived to assist the two people, who were flown back to Air Station Clearwater in good condition, the release said.

“The vessel was left adrift and salvage arrangements had to be made,” the statement said.

On Wednesday afternoon, the boat’s owner reported to the Coast Guard that the captain had gone out around 3 a.m. to make repairs to the boat and had not checked in.

“Watchstanders were able to make radio contact with the captain, who reported that there was a line on the rudder and it became inoperable during his return to port,” the Coast Guard news release said.

“The weather at the time was 6 to 8 feet high and the wind was about 30 miles per hour, but it quickly deteriorated as we got closer to Milton,” the news release said.

The Coast Guard instructed the captain to wear a life jacket and remain in the ship’s emergency position.

“Watchstanders lost communication on Wednesday evening around 6:45 p.m.,” the press release said.

A Coast Guard Air Station Miami helicopter launched at 5:30 a.m. ET on Thursday. The captain was found about 30 miles off Longboat Key at 1:30 p.m., clinging to a cooler and wearing a life jacket. He was flown to Tampa General Hospital.