LONGBOAT KEY, Fla. — A United States Coast Guard (USCG) Air Station Miami 65 helicopter crew rescued a man who was clinging to a cooler off Longboat Key on Thursday.
USCG said the man was about 30 miles off the coast. They had lost connection with the man around 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday.
The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical care, USCG said.
#Breaking An @USCG Air Station Miami 65 helicopter crew rescued a man clinging to a cooler approximately 30 mi. off Longboat Key. The man was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical care. Sector St. Pete lost communications w/ the man at approx. 6:45 p.m., Wed. #SAR pic.twitter.com/64wSHuRAeH
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) October 10, 2024

Largo family loses home in morning fire, forced to start over
Mother and her nonverbal son with autism 20 escape safely as the home is condemned; community steps in to help with housing and recovery.