Man In Medical Distress Rescued From Sailboat

CLEARWATER, FL — A 33-year-old Clearwater man was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard and Levy County emergency crews after he went into medical distress while onboard a sailboat near Yankeetown, officials say. The man and his friend are being lauded for filing a float plan before their Saturday departure from Clearwater Harbor Marina.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, watch standers from Sector St. Petersburg were alerted at 7:35 a.m. Monday that Edward Dunaway and Jimmy Gibeau were missing. The two men had set sail from Clearwater Harbor on Saturday aboard a 33-foot sailboat. Dunaway and Gibeau were expected to be in Spring Hill at 6 p.m. Sunday, an email from the coast guard said.

Air Station Clearwater launched a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to begin looking for them. They were spotted entering the Crystal River area, the coast guard reported.

“When the men reached cell phone range, Gibeau reported to watch standers that Dunaway” was suffering a medical emergency, the email said. A flight surgeon was notified and recommended he be medevacked, the email said.

The coast guard launched a 27-foot boat with crew from Station Yankeetown and Levy County Fire Rescue on board. Levy County had an ambulance awaiting the boat’s return.

The rescue serves as a reminder of the importance of filing a float plan, the coast guard stressed.

"Filing a float plan with a friend or family member can be the difference between life and death when mariners find themselves in distress," said Petty Officer 1st Class Lawrence Costa, an operations specialist at Sector St. Petersburg. "Thankfully, these boaters gave a loved one the time of their return and their route, but the best float plans give details including emergency equipment."

Cell phones, the agency stresses, are not the best devices to rely on for emergency communication on the way. A VHF-FM marine band radio on channel 16 should be used, officials added.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard