Month: December 2025

WFOR

By Hunter Geisel

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    Florida (WFOR) — Video captured the moments when two boaters were rescued early Wednesday morning after their sailboat’s mast broke on the rough waters off Florida’s Gulf Coast, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Just before 3:25 a.m., a USCG Southeast District watchstander received a distress notification regarding a 30-foot sailing vessel that became disabled approximately 40 miles west of Tarpon Springs, prompting the USCG to launch a helicopter rescue crew to the signal’s location. Tarpon Springs is approximately 30 miles northwest of Tampa.

Shortly before 4:50 a.m., the aircrew arrived at the scene and found the boaters and their de-masted sailboat in “4 to 6-foot seas and 20 knot [23 mph] winds,” the USCG said.

In a video from the rescue mission shared on X, the aircrew is seen deploying a rescue swimmer, who swiftly swims to the disabled vessel and helps each boater to the helicopter’s lift.

The USGC said both boaters were in stable condition and safely taken to Air Station Clearwater.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Ayber, a search and rescue controller at the USCG’s Southeast District command center, said the boaters’ distress alert was “vital” because it gave them critical information to rapidly deploy a rescue crew to the boaters.

“Having reliable communication equipment and necessary safety equipment can make all the difference when seconds matter on the water,” he said.

The USCG said the boat’s owner is coordinating with commercial salvage to recover the vessel and the cause of the de-masting is unknown.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Hannah McIlree

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    PAPILLION, Nebraska (KMTV) — A Sapp Brothers truck driver’s quick thinking helped save a young boy who was found standing alone in a median at a busy Papillion intersection early in the morning.

Dash cam video shows the child, believed to be just 3 or 4 years old, standing alone in a median at Settlers Creek Drive and Cornhusker Road at about 5:30 a.m. in the rain, on November 8th. The boy was barely visible in the early morning darkness.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KMTV’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Driver Ed Coleman spotted the child and immediately turned his truck around to help. Coleman wrapped a blanket around the boy and called police.

“And there’s this little boy he can’t be much older than 3 years old just standing in the middle of the road,” Coleman said during his call to police.

The child had a small bag with pull-ups and clothes with him, though it’s unclear if he or a parent packed it or why he was alone in the intersection.

Coleman kept the child warm and dry in his truck while waiting for police to arrive. He even let the boy watch a movie on his phone to keep him calm.

Officers arrived shortly after Coleman’s call. An hour later, police contacted Coleman to confirm the child’s parents had been located and he was safe.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KMTV’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.