As Hurricane Milton unleashed its full fury on Florida on Thursday (Oct. 10), an astonishing rescue mission played out miles away in the Gulf of Mexico. In a harrowing ordeal described as a “nightmare” by emergency responders, a man was saved 48 kilometers off the Florida coast while clinging to an ice box. His identity remains undisclosed, but he was able to make a brief distress call to the Coast Guard in St. Petersburg before losing contact. The man’s fishing vessel malfunctioned near Madeira Beach on Wednesday, just as the storm approached.

On Thursday, officials spotted and rescued the man, who was found desperately hugging an open cooler chest. A video of the dramatic rescue has since gone viral online. “This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner,” said Coast Guard official Dana Grady. The survivor was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical treatment.

Hurricane Milton’s rampage leaves 16 dead and millions without power

Meanwhile, chaos reigned across Florida on Thursday as Hurricane Milton tore through the state, leaving at least 16 people dead, including six in St. Lucie County along Florida’s Atlantic coast.

Streets were littered with massive debris, and power outages affected over 3.4 million residents across multiple counties. More than 11 million people still faced the threat of flash floods and river surges as of Thursday afternoon. The hurricane, which brought a 1-in-1,000-year rainfall event to the state, hit the Tampa Bay area hardest, with widespread devastation.

The economic impact could reach $50 billion

According to estimates released by Fitch Ratings, Hurricane Milton could cause up to $50 billion in insured losses for Florida property owners, making it the most costly storm since Hurricane Ian in 2022. Fitch analysts also noted that combined with the destruction from Hurricane Helene just two weeks earlier, the total insured losses for Florida this year could surpass $100 billion for the fifth consecutive year. As recovery efforts begin, Florida faces a long road ahead in the wake of yet another catastrophic storm.