A person has been rescued from {a partially} submerged boat after greater than 24 hours at sea off the coast of Florida.
Charles Gregory, 25, went lacking 12 miles offshore after he set out in a 12ft jon boat on Friday, the US Coast Guard stated.
His household reported him lacking later that day after he didn’t return to St Augustine.
Mr Gregory had set out for an early morning fishing journey when a wave hit his flat-bottomed vessel, knocking him into the water, CNN reported.
He managed to get again on board however was swept out to sea and “struggled to stay alive” below the Florida solar, his father informed the community.
“He was scared to death,” Raymond Gregory stated, describing how his son suffered jellyfish stings and noticed sharks throughout his ordeal.
“He said he’s had more conversations with God in that 30 hours than he’s had his whole life.”
A Coast Guard airplane ultimately noticed Mr Gregory sitting within the partially submerged boat on Saturday morning.
Footage of the rescue reveals a ship crew approaching the stricken vessel as Mr Gregory waves, his ft beneath the water.
The Coast Guard crew then transferred him to shore after which to the emergency medical companies, who took him to hospital.
No medical considerations had been reported, the Coast Guard stated.
Charles Gregory suffered below the cruel Florida solar. Pic: US Coast Guard
‘Don’t ever surrender’
Mr Gregory’s father stated his son had suffered sunburn through the day and struggled to remain heat at night time.
“At night being sunburnt, and the wind would be blowing, he said it was freezing cold out there in that water,” he stated.
“At the end of the day, the whole moral of the story is ‘don’t ever give up’.”
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Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville Commander Nick Barrow stated he was “pleased with the outcome” of rescuing Mr Gregory from a “life-threatening situation”.
“It highlights the importance of having safety gear onboard and being prepared for the worst,” he stated.
“If you plan to head out on the water, remember to have a life jacket, VHF marine grade radio, signalling devices and an emergency personal locator beacon to contact first responders in case you are in need of assistance.”
Content Source: information.sky.com