A Florida fishing boat captain found himself in a perilous situation, spending more than 18 hours adrift in the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc in the area. The US Coast Guard successfully rescued the man on Thursday, October 10, at approximately 1.30pm local time, about 30 miles off Longboat Key.

The captain, whose identity remains undisclosed, was discovered wearing a life jacket, a crucial piece of gear that likely saved his life. Lt Cmdr Dana Grady, chief of the command center at Sector St Petersburg, commended the captain for surviving what he described as a “nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner.”

The captain had initially contacted the Coast Guard on Monday, October 7, after his fishing boat broke down around 20 miles off John’s Pass. A rescue operation was launched, bringing him and a crew member safely back to Air Station Clearwater. However, two days later, as Hurricane Milton approached, the captain returned to the boat in the early hours of the morning to make repairs but failed to check in afterward.

During severe weather conditions caused by the hurricane on October 9, with 6 to 8-foot seas and winds reaching about 30 mph, the Coast Guard established radio contact with the captain. He reported that the boat’s rudder had become entangled, leaving him stranded. Despite advising him to wear his life jacket and stay near the vessel’s emergency position-indicating radio beacon, communication was lost shortly thereafter.

After being adrift for over 18 hours, the Coast Guard conducted a helicopter rescue mission. Dramatic footage showed a crew member being lowered into rough waters to reach the captain, who was holding onto a small cooler for dear life. Grady highlighted the extreme hurricane conditions the captain endured, estimating winds of 75-90 mph and seas of 20-25 feet for an extended period, including overnight. The captain’s survival was credited to his life jacket, emergency locator beacon, and the cooler he clung to.

Following the rescue, the captain was taken to Tampa General Hospital for treatment. Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, with sustained winds of 120 mph, resulting in at least 16 fatalities.