A fisherman has been rescued 12 miles off the Florida coast after struggling for 38 hours to remain alive in {a partially} submerged 10-foot boat — as sharks chased the drifting vessel.
Charles Gregory, 25, was fishing early Friday morning off the coast of St. Augustine, Florida, when a wave slammed into his little jon boat and threw him into the water.
Once he managed to get again on board, the tide carried him out and Charles clung to the ship for hours, noticed sharks and was stung by jellyfish as he battled the extreme warmth.
“He was terrified,” his father, Raymond Gregory, instructed CNN on Sunday.
“He said he had more conversations with God in those 30 hours than in his entire life.”
Charles Gregory, 25, (pictured in rescue footage) was on a routine early morning fishing journey off the coast of St. Augustine in Florida on Friday when a wave slammed into his small jon boat, throwing him into the water
After the aircraft locates Charles, a small raft is seen subsequent to him serving to him onto the boat
Apart from being badly sunburned, Charles had no critical accidents
During the battle, Charles frantically tried to maintain the craft afloat, even eradicating the engine to forestall it from overturning.
He additionally tried to take off his swimming trunks to mark close by boats and planes, his father stated.
At night time, affected by extreme sunburn, he battled the wind in frigid situations.
On Saturday morning, an aircrew from an HC-130 Hercules plane noticed Charles about 12 miles offshore.
Video launched by the Coast Guard reveals him sitting in the course of the partially submerged boat along with his toes submerged.
Video launched by the Coast Guard reveals Charles sitting in the course of the partially submerged boat
When he has seen the lifeboat, Charles waves to the crew in aid
The black and white footage reveals the boat approaching nearer to him
Charles is then pulled aboard as he gathers the vitality to get on the boat
After the aircraft locates him, a small raft is seen subsequent to him, pulling him aboard.
Charles was transferred to the coast, the place he shared a touching reunion along with his household.
Footage reveals the lobster-red 25-year-old being stretched as his blubbering mom thanks the Coast Guard and rescue groups.
Charles now rests at residence, dehydrated, exhausted and affected by rhabdomyolysis, a situation wherein broken or injured skeletal muscular tissues rapidly dissolve.
His father stated that whereas the bruises, bites and sunburn are making it troublesome for him to get off the bed, he’s anticipated to be advantageous, but it surely’s nice to have his son again.