The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a dramatic rescue of a man and his dog from a sinking 36-foot sailboat off the coast of Fort Myers, Florida, as Hurricane Helene approached. The incident occurred on Thursday, with the sailor issuing a distress call after his vessel became disabled and started taking on water approximately 25 miles off Sanibel Island.
The U.S. Coast Guard Air Station (USCG) Clearwater responded to the distress call, which was made on Channel 16, the standard maritime distress frequency. The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, alerted authorities that his sailboat was in trouble as Hurricane Helene’s outer bands began to impact the region. Despite the challenging weather conditions, a Coast Guard crew quickly located the distressed sailor and his dog.
🚨 HEROIC RESCUE! The U.S. Coast Guard shared a video of their daring rescue of a man and his dog after their sailboat was disabled during Hurricane #Helene. Both are safe and in good health.
📹: AST2 Hudson, edited by Lt. Cmdr. Kellerman, AirSta Clearwater pic.twitter.com/aD5lpt8cxz
— John-Carlos Estrada 🎙️ (@Mr_JCE) September 27, 2024
In a statement to ABC’s Good Morning America, the Coast Guard confirmed that the rescue operation was successful. Both the man and his dog were safely airlifted to land by the USCG crew, using a rescue helicopter.
The USCG Southeast posted an update on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), confirming that the man and his dog were “in good medical condition” following the rescue. They were transported to Southwest Florida International Airport, where they were met by emergency medical services for further evaluation. The Coast Guard reported that the disabled vessel remains adrift at sea.
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