Stranded Florida Man Rescued after 20 Hours in the Ocean With No Life Jacket
William Durden, from Reno, Nevada, was located about 15 nautical miles southeast of Aripeka, Florida by the Coast Guard, Thursday.
The 61-year-old man was reported overdue by his wife at 9.20 p.m. Wednesday after leaving their summer residence on the Homosassa River at 10.30 a.m. aboard a 22-foot boat. At 1.10 a.m. Thursday crewmembers from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission located Durden’s boat in the mangroves near St. Martins Keys.
At 10.29 a.m. Thursday a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater C-130 Hercules aircraft crew located Durden and vectored an Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew to the scene. A rescue swimmer was deployed from the helicopter and Durden was safely recovered at 10.39 a.m.
He was taken to Air Station Clearwater where he was evaluated by emergency medical services with no reported medical concerns.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Citrus County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the search.
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Also Read: How to Survive Being Stranded at Sea Until Rescue Arrives
Source: USCG News
