Holding on to a refrigerator! That is how a man stayed safe amid the rough waves unleashed by Hurricane Milton on the west coast of Florida, until he was rescued by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) this Thursday.
The crew of a Miami 65 Air Station helicopter from the U.S. Coast Guard rescued the man, who was clinging to a cooler in the sea, about 30 miles (48 km) from Longboat Key in Sarasota County, reported the USCG District 7 on social media.
In a video that captures just 15 seconds of the rescue operation, the moments are observed when an agent descends from the helicopter to the water held by a rope, submerges, and approaches the man, who had remained afloat for hours holding onto the refrigerator.
According to the publication, the St. Pete Sector had lost communication with the person at approximately 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday. The number of hours they remained adrift at sea has not been specified.
After the rescue, he was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical attention.
The authorities have not revealed the name of the protagonist of this heroic feat, which has had a happy ending amid the catastrophe left by the powerful hurricane Milton as it crossed the Florida peninsula from west to east.
From just before touching land around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday near Siesta Key, in Sarasota County, Hurricane Milton had already begun to batter the western coast of Florida with all the fury of its category 3 winds and rains, causing flooding and destruction everywhere. Then, weakened, it continued its devastating path through the center of the state before leaving, leaving behind a trail of devastation.
At least 12 people have died in Florida as a result of the hurricane or the 19 tornadoes associated with this system that preceded its landfall.
Many were able to be saved thanks to the heroic actions of agents from the various law enforcement forces active in the state.
In another unusual incident, a boy managed to survive the hurricane by floating on planks and debris in a completely flooded neighborhood in Hillsborough County.
Sheriff Chad Chronister and the maritime rescue unit of the Sheriff’s Office of the county managed to reach the 14-year-old boy in a boat and rescue him this Thursday. The waters at the site where the minor was found covered the first floor of the houses, and rescuers were checking the area in small boats.
After descending to category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson scale (out of a maximum of 5) and while moving away from the east coast of Florida, Milton continued to wreak havoc in the region.
Severe flooding and significant damage have been reported in several cities, with more than three million homes without electricity.
In its latest update on Milton, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced that all tropical storm and storm surge warnings in Florida had been lifted, but urged people to remain cautious after the event.
Meteorologists expect Milton to gradually weaken as it moves north of the Bahamas. By the afternoon, it became an extratropical low-pressure area with hurricane strength.
Authorities continue to monitor the weather system and its effects, and are providing assistance to those affected by the natural disaster.
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