Solo drifter rescued from buoy - Florida

[DandyDon]

From these two stories, it does sound like he left someone on the boat, but the bubble watcher wasn't qualified...

Crews rescue diver after he had been missing for hours

A diver was rescued from off Sarasota County shores Friday after he was missing for hours, officials said.

The Sarasota Police Department received a report around 1:45 p.m. Friday of a missing diver near the area of Casey Key and Siesta Key.

The person in the boat was not sure where he was and was unfamiliar with how to operate the boat or use the radio for communications, according to police. He told authorities that the diver had been missing for about two hours.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer along with a police department Marine Patrol officer initiated a search and rescue, and officials with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to help. The wind Friday was estimated at 20 knots, and officials worked in 6-foot seas.

Coast Guard rescues missing diver from North Port found clinging to buoy

BLACKBURN BAY, Fla. (WFLA) — A missing diver from North Port was rescued by the Coast Guard on Friday about 10 miles west of Blackburn Bay.

The Coast Guard took a call just after 2 p.m. from a man on an 18-foot boat who said his friend, 47-year-old Patrick Morgan, went diving off the boat and hadn’t resurfaced.

A helicopter crew from Air Station Clearwater and a 45-foot boat from Station Cortez responded to the scene to launch a search. A Sarasota County Fire Rescue crew also responded to help bring Morgan’s friend to shore.

Around 3:48 p.m., the boat crew found Morgan clinging to a buoy about two miles away from his friend’s boat. Morgan was rescued from the water and taken back to his friend’s boat where he was then escorted to Big Sarasota Pass.

Morgan was not injured.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Not even sure how to respond to that other than he's very lucky and glad to hear he made it.

 

[Oonej]

He is actually a buddy of mine. Been out on his boat a few times. Glad to hear he was found and doing well. Scary...

 

[Wildbill]

Not monday morning QB'ing, but it sounds like the BW let the boat drift and wasn't where he was supposed to be upon the diver surfacing, or the diver got turned around and didn't surface in the right spot. Either way, glad it had this outcome!!!