A Florida Boat Captain Miraculously Rescued A Kayaker Who Was Lost At Sea For Five Hours

A now-viral TikTok video captured the moment a boat captain rescued a man lost at sea in Fort Pierce, Florida, on June 27.

The man, named Davey Wright, had set out for a short fishing trip on his kayak late that afternoon.

Just before, he had lent his kayak to a boater who supposedly damaged it because once Davey was hours into his trip, the kayak began to fill with water and sink.

“As I ran out of energy and the storm kicked up, it [the water] just got worse and worse. Basically, I had to let go of every worldly possession,” he said in an interview with WPBF News.

Once sunk, Davey was left completely alone while two miles away from shore. He was unable to ascertain a path to shore without crossing through schools of bait and potentially attracting predators.

So, Davey reportedly called on his United States Army training. Despite chattering teeth and frozen muscles, he continued to tread water for five whole hours.

After the fifth hour, he was dehydrated and disoriented. He had even come to terms with passing away at sea just before a miracle happened– he spotted the captain’s boat.

“I was screaming, ‘Mayday! Mayday! I am a fisherman in the water! I have no vessel!'” Davey recalled.

TikTok; pictured above is a screenshot of the rescue

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And, miraculously, Captain Tom Korinek heard him and turned his boat around.

Once reaching him, Captain Tom threw a life sling to Davey and helped lift him onto the boat’s swim platform. Afterward, Captain Tom whipped out his iPhone and began recording.

The now-viral TikTok shows Davey exhausted and slurring his words as he attempts to retell his tragedy. Then, he thanked Captain Tom for being the first boat to stop.

“Thank you so much for stopping, bro,” he said.

“Yeah, oh my god, dude. Jesus Christ,” Captain Tom replied.

The video has since reached 6.2 million people, gained seven hundred and ninety thousand likes, and spurred over five thousand comments.

“I cannot even begin to imagine the exhaustion and pure relief that guy is feeling,” commented one user.

“You saved that man’s life– you are a hero,” wrote another user.

And since Davey and Captain Tom have gotten a chance to know each other following the rescue, the pair of fisherman have decided to go into business together.

They launched a GoFundMe campaign and explained how the unlikely tragedy that brought them together is also their inspiration for a water safety venture.

“I originally wanted to start this page to get Davey a new kayak, fishing poles, and some new water safety equipment,” Captain Tom began.

“But, since Davey and I are both avid water sportsmen, our thoughts of starting a business to promote water safety and awareness have blossomed,” he continued.

Now, both men plan to share stories of their various close-calls on the water and raise awareness of best water safety practices.

“Anything you can give to help our cause would be much appreciated,” Captain Tom added.

So far, the GoFundMe campaign has raised three hundred and sixty dollars of its six thousand dollar goal.

To contribute to the cause, visit the fundraiser linked here. Or, to watch the original TikTok rescue video, visit the link here.

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Katharina Buczek graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Arts. Specializing ... More about Katharina Buczek

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