Coast Guard rescues man and his dog from disabled boat during Helene

SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla. (WWSB/Gray News) - The U.S. Coast Guard saved a man and his dog stranded off the coast of Florida in the midst of Hurricane Helene on Thursday.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater helicopter crew rescued the man and his dog near Sanibel Island, according to the Coast Guard’s Facebook page.

They reported the man’s 36-foot sailing vessel had become disabled and was taking on water 25 miles from the coast.

Video of the rescue shows a Coast Guard member lowering from a helicopter into the water and making their way to the boat.

From there, they assisted the man and his dog, both wearing life jackets, off the boat and into a basket that was then airlifted back into the helicopter.

The Coast Guard said the two were both in good health and taken to Southwest Florida International Airport, where emergency medical responders met them.

The vessel, at last check, was adrift and disabled.

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