The Coast Guard save a man and his dog from a sinking boat off the coast of Florida

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Before Helene even made landfall in Florida, authorities conducted a dramatic rescue operation: The U.S. Coast Guard saved a man whose sailboat started taking on water off the coast of Sanibel Island.

His dog, wearing a fluorescent life vest, was with him too.

Both were brought to safety and reported to be in good medical condition.

The boat is adrift and disabled, the USCG said.

Video shared by the agency shows the unnamed man and his dog being airlifted to safety. Toward the end of the clip, he's seen high-fiving members of the rescue team while holding his canine.

This story originally appeared as part of NPR's live coverage of Hurricane Helene, September 27, 2024.