Heart-racing footage has been captured the dramatic rescue of a man who spent all night clinging to his upturned boat after it capsized on a Florida lake.
According to The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office in DeLand, two men headed out onto Lake Monroe for a fishing trip Monday. But by early Tuesday morning, they had not been heard from and were reported missing. When the authorities launched a search for the pair, they were shocked to discover one of the men, clinging to the hull of his upturned vessel.
In the dramatic footage posted to the Sheriff’s Office Twitter account, a group can be seen approaching the man and his half-sunken boat. Then, sensing the man’s fatigue and the immediate danger he was in, a fully-uniformed deputy can be seen leaping into the water and swimming over to the exhausted boatsman. The police officer hands the man a lifejacket before pulling him to the rescue boat and helping him aboard.
This morning, deputies responded to a capsized boat in Lake Monroe w/ 1 occupant clinging to the side for an extended time. A 2nd occupant was later discovered deceased 2mi away. @MyFWC is investigating. Our hearts go out to family & friends of the gentleman who did not survive. pic.twitter.com/PVNez8IeRm
— Volusia Co. Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) October 9, 2018
Whan an amazing deputy!
A short time later, rescuers recovered the body of the second man some two miles away from the scene.
Authorities explained that the stricken man’s boat allegedly “started taking on water yesterday afternoon” and that he had “been holding on all night.”
“The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to the scene and took over the investigation,” the police noted, before concluding, “our hearts go out to the family and friends of the gentleman who did not survive.”
Do keep the victim’s family in your prayers at this time.