The man and a friend were reported missing. When the Coast Guard found them, the man needed medical attention.

YANKEETOWN – The U.S. Coast Guard medevacked a Clearwater man Monday (April 24) from a sailboat near Yankeetown after he and a friend were reported missing.

Edward Dunaway, 33, of Clearwater was medevacked, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Coast Guard officials said they received a report about 7:35 a.m. of  two missing men aboard a 33-foot sailboat. Dunaway and Jimmy Gibeau were reported missing by Gibeau’s wife. She told the Coast Guard that the men were last seen Saturday (April 22) at Clearwater Harbor Marina and were due to be in Spring Hill at 6 p.m. Sunday.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter air crew from Air Station Clearwater launched and located the missing men aboard their sailboat entering Crystal River. When the men reached cell phone range, Gibeau reported to watch standers that Dunaway was suffering from seizures and in need of emergency medical assistance. A flight surgeon was notified and recommended Dunaway be medevacked.

A 27-foot special purpose craft-shallow water boat crew from Station Yankeetown launched with a Levy County emergency medical services crew member aboard. Dunaway was transferred to the end of County Road 40 boat ramp where a Levy County EMS ambulance waited, according to the Coast Guard.

“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 First 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.”

The Coast Guard reminds mariners cell phones are not the best form of emergency communication on the water; instead, they ask boaters to use a VHF-FM marine band radio on channel 16 at the first sign of distress.

For information about the U.S. Coast Guard, go to uscg.mil.

Photo of rescue courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard.

U.S. Coast Guard | Sailboat Rescue | Tampa Bay News | TB Reporter

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