Florida man rescued 12 miles offshore in a jon boat after going missing for nearly two days
A Florida man was rescued 12 miles offshore in a partially submerged 12-foot-long boat after he’d been missing for nearly two days, the U.S. Coast Guard said Sunday.
Charles Gregory, 25, was spotted Saturday by an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew in the sea off St. Augustine. They’d been looking since his family reported him missing on Friday.
Gregory had last been seen the night before when he left the boat ramp.
He was pulled from a half-sunken jon boat, a flat-bottomed skiff usually made of aluminum with a few bench seats and no shade. Gregory apparently was not carrying any kind of gear. Rescue crews told WJXT-TV that Gregoy had a buoyant cushion with him but no lifejacket. Though he had a cell phone, it did not pick up his location, authorities said. They surmised that he had drifted north after being swept out to sea from the inlet.
He was taken to a nearby pier for a medical evaluation, and “no medical concerns were reported,” the coast guard said.
Numerous agencies and even private citizens stepped up to help search, with everything from drones to boats to paddleboards. That included an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew, two response boats and an 87-foot coast guard patrol boat. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue, the St. Augustine fire and police departments and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission aided in the search, the coast guard said.
Cmdr. Nick Barrow, the Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville search and rescue mission coordinator, expressed gratitude that the story flagged the ordeal as a cautionary tale.
“We are pleased about the outcome in this case and I would like to thank all of our local and state partners who were heavily involved in searching for Charles and bringing him home to his family,” Barrow said.
“While this case resulted in rescuing Charles from a life-threatening situation, it highlights the importance of having safety gear onboard and being prepared for the worst. If you plan to head out on the water, remember to have a life jacket, VHF marine grade radio, signaling devices and an emergency personal locator beacon to contact first responders in case you are in need of assistance.”
