Man and his dog rescued from disabled boat 25 miles out to sea as Hurricane Helene fast approached

The 36-foot sailboat started taking on water and left them both stranded.

ByJon Haworth
September 27, 2024, 3:36 AM

The United States Coast Guard has rescued a man and his dog as Hurricane Helene fast approached them when his boat became disabled and started taking on water 25 miles out to sea, officials said.

The sailor and his dog were on a 36-foot sailboat on Thursday when the boat started taking on water, leaving the man and his canine stranded in the ocean approximately 25 miles off of Sanibel Island with no help or support nearby, according to a statement from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater released early Friday morning.

“Coast Guard crews responded to the boater’s distress call and rushed to the man’s location, approximately 25 miles offshore from Sanibel Island near Fort Myers,” authorities said. “A successful rescue attempt was made and the unidentified sailor and his dog were saved and brought back to land.”

Officials have not disclosed why the man was out to sea while small craft advisories and hurricane warnings had already been issued in the area as Hurricane Helene was expected to make landfall.

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