A Florida man is thankful to be alive after he was found clinging to a sinking boat after being stranded at sea for almost two days.
Charles Gregory was spotted hugging his knees in a partially submerged boat when the U.S. Coast Guard found him on Saturday. He was rescued 12 miles off the coast of St. Augustine, Florida.
The 25-year-old was last seen Thursday evening when he departed the Lighthouse Park Boat Ramp and set out on a fishing trip on a 12-foot jon boat.
After his vessel capsized, Gregory managed to stay alive for 38 hours without food or water.
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"He lost all survivor equipment, including his phone, which he would have been able to use to call out to us," a Coast Guard official said.
A video shared by the Coast Guard shows Gregory faintly waving to rescuers as the crew made their way to the boat after an all-night search. He was then loaded onto a gurney and transferred to emergency medical services at Vilano Beach Fishing Pier. Gregory was dehydrated and sunburned, but did not have any medical concerns, the Coast Guard said.
Gregory's parents said they are relieved to have their son back and thanked the Coast Guard, first responders and all the agencies involved in helping bring their son home alive.
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"There's a God up there, if you ever thought there wasn't, let your kid go missing offshore in the freaking ocean for 38 hours," Gregory's father Raymond said. "I gave up hope, I should never give up hope. Don't give up on the big guy."
Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville Commander Nick Barrow said he was pleased with the outcome of the rescue.
"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," Barrow said. "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.”
Gregory's event is one of the many successful vessel rescues this summer. Just two weeks ago, four people were brought to safety after their 41-foot cabin cruiser started sinking in Boston Harbor. In early July, two firefighters stranded in the Passaic River, New Jersey, were lifted roughly 100 feet to safety by a helicopter from the rushing waters.
