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.MORE: A Vietnam War pilot vanished over 50 years ago.
His remains have just been found and identified“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.MORE: 1 dead after hijacked bus speeds through LA with driver held at gunpointMORE: 3rd house collapses in 4 days on North Carolina coastHurricane Helene has officially made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida as a major Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds late Thursday night, with the storm touching down near Perry, Florida, just east of the mouth of the Aucilla River.Hurricane Helene marks the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in Florida's Big Bend Region since at least 1859.MORE: 21-year-old climber dies after sustaining 'major injuries' in fall off Devil's TowerA U.S.
Coast Guard Air Station crew rescues a man and his dog during Hurricane Helene after his sailboat became disabled and started taking on water off Sanibel Island, Fla., on Sept.26, 2024.Us Coast Guard Handout via ReutersMORE: Man who allegedly poured scalding hot liquid on b...