A man and his dog were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after their sailboat began taking on water roughly 25 miles (40 km) off the coast of Sanibel Island, Florida.
Both in good Health
The rescue, captured on video, shows the brave efforts of the Coast Guard in response to the life-threatening conditions brought by Hurricane Helene.
The storm, which made landfall as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, packed winds of 140 mph (225 km/h) and caused severe damage across the southeastern United States.
Fortunately, both the man and his dog were in good health following the rescue.
They were transported to Southwest Florida International Airport, where emergency medical personnel awaited their arrival. Their boat, however, was left adrift and abandoned.
Claimed 43 Lives
Though downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved inland, Helene continued to wreak havoc as it shifted toward Georgia.
The storm caused life-threatening floods and landslides, left over 3.5 million homes and businesses without power, and claimed at least 43 lives across multiple states, according to Reuters.
The devastation was particularly severe in Florida's Big Bend region, which Helene hit with full force.
The storm left behind a scene of overturned boats, downed trees, submerged vehicles, and flooded streets. Rescue efforts continued into the weekend, with authorities performing thousands of water rescues.
In Tennessee, over 50 people were rescued from the roof of a hospital in Unicoi County, approximately 125 miles (200 km) northeast of Knoxville, as floodwaters inundated the rural community.
