Florida fisherman is dramatically rescued after ‘struggling to stay alive’ for 38 hours in his partially submerged 10-foot boat, as sharks chased the drifting vessel 12 miles out to sea
Florida fisherman is dramatically rescued after ‘struggling to stay alive’ for 38 hours in his partially submerged 10-foot boat, as sharks chased the drifting vessel 12 miles out to sea
- Charles Gregory was fishing off the coast of St. Augustine early in the morning
A fisherman has been rescued 12 miles off the Florida coast after struggling for 38 hours to stay 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 back on board, the tide carried him out and Charles clung to the ship for hours, saw sharks and was stung by jellyfish as he battled the intense heat.
“He was terrified,” his father, Raymond Gregory, told 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 trip 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 plane locates Charles, a small raft is seen next to him helping him onto the boat
Apart from being badly sunburned, Charles had no serious injuries
During the battle, Charles frantically tried to keep the craft afloat, even removing the engine to prevent it from overturning.
He also tried to take off his swimming trunks to mark nearby boats and planes, his father said.
At night, suffering from severe sunburn, he battled the wind in frigid conditions.
On Saturday morning, an aircrew from an HC-130 Hercules aircraft spotted Charles about 12 miles offshore.
Video released by the Coast Guard shows him sitting in the middle of the partially submerged boat with his feet submerged.
Video released by the Coast Guard shows Charles sitting in the middle of the partially submerged boat
When he has seen the lifeboat, Charles waves to the crew in relief
The black and white footage shows the boat approaching closer to him
Charles is then pulled aboard as he gathers the energy to get on the boat
After the plane locates him, a small raft is seen next to him, pulling him aboard.
Charles was transferred to the coast, where he shared a touching reunion with his family.
Footage shows the lobster-red 25-year-old being stretched as his blubbering mother thanks the Coast Guard and rescue teams.
Charles now rests at home, dehydrated, exhausted and suffering from rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which damaged or injured skeletal muscles quickly dissolve.
His father said that while the bruises, bites and sunburn are making it difficult for him to get out of bed, he is expected to be fine, but it’s great to have his son back.