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US coastguard rescues man and dog from sinking boat during Hurricane Helene

They were hoisted into a helicopter after their vessel became disabled off the coast of Florida

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A man and his dog were rescued in the Gulf of Mexico by the US coastguard. Photo: X/USCGSoutheast
A dramatic new video shows the US coastguard rescuing a man and his dog in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday after their boat started sinking during Hurricane Helene.
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The coastguard’s Seventh District, which covers the southeastern US, said on social media that it saved a man and his canine companion after their 36-foot-long sailing boat became disabled and started taking on water around 40km (25 miles) off Florida’s Sanibel Island.

The coastguard shared a photo of the pair that was taken from the water with a Sikorsky MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter hovering in the background. The service then published a video showing the rescue mission unfolding.

The first-person-view footage captured by a coastguard aviation survival technician – commonly known as a rescue swimmer – shows the civilian vessel bobbing around in rough seas.

The man can be seen on board tossing his dog, wearing a life jacket, into the water before they’re both hoisted into the helicopter.

It is unclear how long the man and his dog were at sea. A Seventh District spokesperson said that the coastguard received a mayday call from the vessel at around 11am local time, and the hoist was completed shortly before 2pm.

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