The United States Coast Guard (USCG) successfully rescued a Florida man on a partially submerged boat and found that he had suffered from jellyfish stings, dehydration, and sunburns.
The man, Charles Gregory, was last seen departing the Lighthouse Park Boat Ramp onboard a 12-foot jon boat on Thursday night. The USCG said the man's family sent a report to watchstanders with the Coast Guard Sector in Jacksonville, notifying them that Jackson had yet to return to the lighthouse boat ramp by Friday.
Florida Man Rescued from Partially Submerged Boat
An HC-130 airplane crew spotted the missing Florida man on Saturday morning, saying that he was sitting in his partially submerged boat. Later, a Coast Guard Cutter Coho boat crew recovered Gregory from his partially submerged boat and transferred him to a Station Mayport boat crew, bringing him to EMS at Vilano Beach Fishing Pier.
In a statement, Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville search and rescue mission coordinator Cmdr. Nick Barrow said that the outcome of the case was relatively positive. He also expressed gratitude to local and state partners involved in the efforts to find Gregory, as per CBS12.
However, Barrow warned that despite the fortunate result of the mission, it also highlights the importance of having safety gear onboard and being prepared for any potentially negative situation. He recommended having a life jacket, VHF marine-grade radio, signaling devices, and an emergency personal locator beacon.
Gregory's unfortunate situation was brought about by the tide rising quicker than he was initially prepared for before a wave struck his boat and knocked him into the water. In an interview on Sunday, his father, Raymond Gregory, said that the Florida man could get back on his boat but was quickly taken out to sea.
Unfortunate Turn of Events
He spent nearly two days where he allegedly "struggled to stay alive" under the hot Florida sun despite being stung by jellyfish. Raymond said that his son was scared to death and had had "more conversations with God in that 30 hours than he's had his whole life," according to CNN.
However, the night was the worst time for Gregory as he was sunburnt; the wind would blow, making the temperature freezing cold in the water. Following his rescue, the Florida man could go home and rest. He was said to have suffered from Rhabdomyolysis, a condition that breaks down muscle and leads to muscle cell contents flooding into the bloodstream.
Raymond expressed his gratitude to the search teams and community members who worked for his son's safe return. He added that at the end of the day, his son's unfortunate experience teaches the moral of never giving up, said AOL.
The Coast Guard also released video footage of the incident that showed Gregory seated in the inundated boat while its bow was dipping beneath the water's surface. Shortly after, rescue crews were able to reach him and bring him back to safety.
