The United States Coast Guard made a heroic rescue of a stranded sailor and dog as Hurricane Helene roared toward shore.
On Thursday, a 36-foot sailboat become disabled off the coast of Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico. On the boat were a sailor and his dog. With Hurricane Helene set to hammer Florida's Gulf Coast, the situation was dire. According to the NY Post, the boat was only 25 miles offshore from Sanibel Island, near Fort Myers.
The boat began to take on water once disabled. The sailor then sent out a distress call from his boat, which was quickly responded to by the Coast Guard. Upon the Coast Guard's arrival to the ship via helicopter, the sailor and dog left the boat and jumped into the rough ocean waters. In the water, the pair wore life vests, which kept them afloat as the Coast Guard maneuvered into position to make the rescue.
A single rescuer from the Coast Guard repelled down to the man and dog. Eventually, all three were pulled out of the water, and into the safety of the helicopter. The rescue was caught on video, in which the rough waters could be seen rocking the disabled boat.
Coast Guard Saves Stranded Sailor Off the Florida Coast
Hurricane warnings and small vessel advisories had been in effect in the area ahead of Helene's arrival Thursday. I was unclear where the sailor had been leaving from, nor headed to, but his trip was certainly a risky one to make.
Hurricane Helene officially made landfall Thursday at 11:10 PM. Helene was a category 4 storm upon its arrival. The eye of the storm moved over the Big Bend area, and Florida Panhandle. Maximum winds sustained at 140 mph. Moreover, predictions of a potentially "unsurvivable" 20-foot storm surge and flooding rains have the area on high alert.
Thankfully, the Coast Guard was able to save the stranded sailor and dog. As hurricane Helene continues to crush the southeastern United States, rescue efforts will surely remain frequent. Here is to hoping for more successful trips by first responders into the storm.
