Officials rescue man floating on cooler off Florida coast after Hurricane Milton
The U.S. Coast Guard said the man was found 30 miles off Florida's Gulf Coast.
LONGBOAT KEY, Fla. -- A man who was found floating dozens of miles off of Florida's Gulf Coast while clinging to a cooler to keep him afloat, was rescued Thursday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Officials said an Air Station Miami 65 helicopter crew rescued the man who was approximately 30 miles off Longboat Key, a town along the state's central-west coast.
The coast guard said they had been in contact with the man Wednesday night, hours before Hurricane Milton made landfall, but that they had lost contact with him at 6:45 p.m. ET.
"This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner," said Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady, Sector St. Petersburg's command center chief.
"To understand the severity of the hurricane conditions, we estimate he experienced approximately 75-90 mph winds, 20-25 foot seas, for an extended period of time to include overnight. He survived because of a life jacket, his emergency position indicating locator beacon, and a cooler," Grady's statement continued.
RELATED: Hurricane Milton aftermath: At least 15 fatalities reported related to storm in Florida
Hurricane Milton made landfall in the region Wednesday night as a Category 3 storm, bringing dangerous storm surge, powerful winds and heavy rain with it.
Due to the severity of the storm, some emergency services were suspended by officials across the state.
After being rescued Thursday, officials said the man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical care.
