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Coast Guard rescues man, dog from 36-foot sailboat as Hurricane Helene approached

Vessel became disabled and was taking on water

The U.S. Coast Guard saved a boater and his dog in the Gulf of Mexico as Hurricane Helene churned toward Florida on Thursday. Courtesy: U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man and his dog from a 36-foot sailboat after the vessel became disabled about 25 miles off Sanibel Island on Sept. 26, 2024.

By: Scott Sutton

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SANIBEL, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard saved a boater and his dog in the Gulf of Mexico as Hurricane Helene churned toward Florida on Thursday.

The rescue occurred about 25 miles off Sanibel Island amid rough seas just hours before the powerful Category 4 hurricane made landfall in the state's Big Bend region.

The man and his dog had to be rescued after the 36-foot sailboat they were aboard became disabled and started taking on water, according to a statement by U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater.

WATCH BELOW: Coast Guard rescues man, dog from 36-foot sailboat in Gulf of Mexico

Coast Guard rescues man, dog from 36-foot sailboat in Gulf of Mexico

Video posted to the agency's Facebook page showed the man and his dog, fitted with a life vest, getting off their vessel and into the water before being hoisted aboard a Coast Guard helicopter.

It's unclear why the man was at sea amid the rough seas and advisories with Helene bearing down on Florida.

The hurricane has caused thousands of power outages across the South as it churned north into Georgia and the Carolinas. At least 21 people were reported dead in four states, including at least seven fatalities in Florida.