Coast Guard Rescues Boat Captain Clinging to Cooler in Gulf of Mexico: A "Nightmare Scenario" .

A boat captain endured Hurricane Milton overnight in the Gulf of Mexico before being found clinging to a cooler about 30 miles offshore and rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter on Thursday afternoon, according to a statement from the U.S. Coast Guard.

"This man survived a nightmare scenario, even for the most seasoned mariner," said Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady, chief of the Sector St. Petersburg command center. "We estimate he faced 75-90 mph winds and 20-25 foot seas for an extended period, including overnight. His survival was due to wearing a life jacket, using his emergency locator beacon, and clinging to a cooler."

The captain’s fishing vessel had broken down on Monday, approximately 20 miles off John's Pass, while salvage efforts were being arranged. 

By Wednesday afternoon, the boat’s owner alerted the Coast Guard after the captain, who had gone back to the vessel before dawn to make repairs, had not been heard from. 

The Coast Guard was able to reach him via radio, where he reported that a line had fouled the rudder, disabling the boat as he tried to return to port. As conditions worsened with the approaching hurricane, the Coast Guard instructed him to wear a life jacket and stay with the vessel's locator beacon. However, communication was lost around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.

He was ultimately rescued at around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, about 30 miles off Longboat Key, Florida, and transported to Tampa General Hospital for medical treatment.