Coast Guard Rescues Man From Tiny, Sinking Boat After Nearly Two Days Lost at Sea
A shipwrecked man was rescued Saturday after surviving for over 24 hours on a minuscule, partially submerged vessel.
Dramatic footage shows the moment a group of Coast Guard members located 25-year-old Charles Gregory. He’s seen sitting atop his boat, its bow sinking rapidly into the ocean. The young man had survived almost two days on his upturned jon about 12 miles off the Florida coast. During that time, Gregory avoided sharks circling his 12-foot, flat-bottomed skiff. He also endured punishing sun burns from direct sunlight, as well as stings from jellyfish.
Searches were mounted for Gregory on Friday evening, when he failed to return home from a routine fishing excursion. He was last seen aboard his boat early that morning in St. Augustine, FL. Despite his experience, quickly rising tides knocked Gregory from his lightweight craft. He was able to get back on board, but was swept out to sea. Over the next day, Gregory made every attempt to lighten his load and get the boat to float, even disconnecting the motor.
“He was scared to death,” Raymond Gregory told CNN of his son’s ordeal. “He said he’s had more conversations with God in that 30 hours than he’s had his whole life.” His kin is now safely back home, exhausted and dehydrated but expected to fully recover. “At the end of the day, the whole moral of the story is ‘don’t ever give up,’” Gregory said.
Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville Commander Nick Barrow told the outlet that this situation is a reminder to always carry emergency equipment on board. “If you plan to head out on the water, remember to have a life jacket, VHF marine grade radio, signaling devices and an emergency personal locator beacon to contact first responders in case you are in need of assistance,” Barrow advises.
