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The Coast Guard save a man and his dog from a sinking boat off the coast of Florida

This photo provided by U.S. Coast Guard District Seven (@USCGSoutheast) shows a man and his dog being rescued after his sailboat became disabled during Hurricane Helene approximately 25 miles off Sanibel Island, Fla., on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024.
U.S. Coast Guard District Seven via AP
This photo provided by U.S. Coast Guard District Seven (@USCGSoutheast) shows a man and his dog being rescued after his sailboat became disabled during Hurricane Helene approximately 25 miles off Sanibel Island, Fla., on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024.

Updated September 27, 2024 at 14:32 PM ET

Follow NPR's live updates for the latest on the impact of the 2024 storm.


Before Helene even made landfall in Florida, authorities conducted a dramatic rescue operation: The U.S. Coast Guard saved a man whose sailboat started taking on water off the coast of Sanibel Island.

His dog, wearing a fluorescent life vest, was with him too.

Both were brought to safety and reported to be in good medical condition.

The boat is adrift and disabled, the USCG said.

Video shared by the agency shows the unnamed man and his dog being airlifted to safety. Toward the end of the clip, he's seen high-fiving members of the rescue team while holding his canine.


Copyright 2024 NPR

Rachel Treisman
Rachel Treisman (she/her) is an editor on NPR's digital news desk, where she reports news of the day and leads the network's live blogs, helping shape digital coverage of breaking stories and political events. She also writes in-depth features and reports for broadcast, including the hourly newscast.