In a harrowing ordeal following Hurricane Milton’s devastating passage, a man was rescued 30 miles off the coast of Florida, found clinging to a cooler that kept him afloat in the stormy seas.
Identified as “Capt. Dave,” the fisherman had been making repairs to his disabled boat when Hurricane Milton hit, forcing him to spend the night battling rough conditions. The U.S. Coast Guard had been alerted after communication with him was lost on Wednesday evening. Rescue teams, battling the storm’s aftermath, located him on Thursday afternoon, drifting in the Gulf of Mexico, holding on to a cooler for survival.
The Coast Guard stated that Dave survived due to his life jacket, an emergency locator beacon, and the cooler. He was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for medical care. Officials estimated that he had endured winds up to 90 mph and 20-25-foot seas during the storm.
Netizens praised the Coast Guard’s heroic efforts, calling it a miraculous rescue. Others humorously remarked on the brand of cooler that withstood the storm, providing a light-hearted moment in an otherwise terrifying situation.
