>> A MAN FOUND CLINGING TO HIS NEARLY SUNKEN BOAT 90 MILES OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA IS BACK ON
LAND TONIGHT AND HEADING HOME
WE JUST GOT THIS VIDEO OF 62
YEAR-OLD STUART BEE.
>> GETTING OFF A CONTAINER SHIP
THAT RESCUED HIM WE HAD TO RIDE
ALONG WITH THE CREW TO ITS NEXT
A CALL IN DELAWARE.
MOMENTS AGO. HE SPOKE.
NEWS 4 JAX REPORTER VIC MICOLUCCI JOINS US LIVE IN BIG THE COAST GUARD TOLD
YOU TODAY. THIS IS THE MOST
MIRACULOUS CASE HE’S SEEN IN
HIS CAREER.
>> ABSOLUTELY THINK ABOUT THIS 86 MILES TO BE EXACT OUT THERE IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN YOU CAN’T
SEE LAND. YOU CAN’T SEE
ANYTHING FROM THERE
AND ONLY 5 FEET OF
THAT BOAT WAS STICKING OUT OF
THE WATER, THIS IS 5 FEET RIGHT
HERE THAT’S ALL THAT THEY
COULD SEE NEARLY 90 MILES
OFFSHORE AND THAT’S EXACTLY
WHAT THE CREW ON THIS CARGO
SHIP FOUND.
>> TO TRY TO TAKE AWAY A
VETERAN COAST GUARD COMMANDER
WHO CAN’T BELIEVE HIS EYES.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY A NEEDLE IN A
HAYSTACK A BOATER WHO DIDN’T
THINK HE’D MAKE IT.
>> IT IS VERY
>> IN A RADIO CALL IT THANKFUL.
STEWART BE TELLS THE COAST
GUARD. HE IS SAFE AFTER
CLINGING TO HIS SINKING 32 FOOT
BOAT. NEARLY
90 MILES OFFSHORE.
>> AGAIN WAVING MY SHIRT OFF
AND
WAVED THAT.
>> KIRK PERIODICALLY THE 62
YEAR-OLD WHO LIVES ON THE
VESSEL LEFT THE MARINA
FRIDAY MORNING. WHEN HE DID NOT
COME BACK ON SATURDAY, HIS
FRIENDS REPORTED HIM MISSING.
BUT WITH NO FLOW PLAN AND A
GIANT OCEAN. IT WAS
STATISTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO
FIND HIM WHILE THE BOAT OR WENT
MISSING FROM PORT CANAVERAL IN
CENTRAL FLORIDA. IT’S IN THE
JURISDICTION OF COAST GUARD
SECTOR, JACKSONVILLE.
>> SO CREWS HERE LEAD THE
MISSION.
>> AND EVEN THEY HAD
THEIR DOUBTS.
>> IT’S THE MOST MIRACULOUS
CASE I’VE SEEN IN MY 27 YEAR
CAREER IS REALLY IT’S THAT
EXTRAORDINARY THE PROBABILITY
OF DETECTION HERE WAS ALMOST 0
CAPTAIN MARK VLAUN IS STILL
AMAZED AT THE GOOD NEWS, THE
COAST GUARD PUT OUT A MESSAGE
TO SHIPS OFF THE COAST OF
FLORIDA AND THE ANGELES
HAPPENED TO BE IN THE RIGHT
PLACE AT THE
RIGHT TIME.
>> CREWS SPOTTING BE HANGING ON
FOR HIS LIFE ONLY ABOUT 5 FEET
OF THE BOAT STICKING OUT THE
EXHAUSTED BOATER CLIMBING ON
BOARD HIS LUCKY BREAK.
>> MY CREW IS TAKING CARE OF
HIM.
♪
HIM. ♪ I GIVE HIM
>>TOM WILLS: WHILE THIS STORY HAS A HAPPY ENDING CAPTAIN VLAUN KNOWS THE BOAT OR COULD
HAVE NEVER BEEN FOUND LESSONS
LEARNED HERE TELL SOMEBODY
CLOSE TO YOU.
>> WHERE YOU’RE GOING AND WHEN
YOU EXPECT TO
COME BACK AND YOU CAN REALLY TO
HELP US TAKE THE SEARCH OUT OF
SEARCH AND RESCUE YOU MAKE IT A
♪
MUCH NARROWER SWATH THAT WE
HAVE TO LOOK FOR IF WE DO HAVE
TO COME FIND YOU.
>> AND THAT CAPTAIN ALSO WANTS VOTERS TO INVEST IN SOMETHING CALLED AN IEP OR IT’S AN
EMERGENCY LOCATOR BECAME HE
SAYS IF YOU’RE
GOING OFFSHORE BY ONE OF THOSE
THEY USED TO BE EXPENSIVE NOW
THEY’RE QUITE AFFORDABLE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GO INTO
THE COSTS OF BOATING. HE SAYS
THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.
THE COAST GUARD AND GET TO YOU
RIGHT AWAY AS FAR AS MISTER B
HE IS
825 MILES NORTH OF US IN
WILMINGTON DELAWARE, PROBABLY
ENJOYING A NICE WARM NIGHT IN A
HOTEL AFTER THAT A FAMILY
MEMBER SAYS HE’S GOING TO DRIVE
HIM BACK HERE
TO FLORIDA. WE’RE LIVE TONIGHT
A PICNIC ALLUDE TO
CHANNEL 4.
>> THE LOCAL STATION I THINK
IT’S JUST AN INCREDIBLE STORY
AND ACTUALLY STORE BE HAD ONE
OF THOSE 8 PER BSEE SAID ON
BOARD BUT HE COULDN’T GET TO
IT. SO BIG DO WE KNOW WHAT
CAUSED HIS BOAT TO SINK.
♪
>> WELL THE COAST GUARD STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WENT WHAT WENT WRONG BUT STEWART BE
MERRY SAID THAT HE WAS HAVING
SOME SORT OF ENGINE MECHANICAL
ISSUES HE TRIED TO FIX IT
HIMSELF. HE WAS WORKING ON THE
SEAL. THEN HE GOT TIRED, HE
WENT TO SLEEP, HE WOKE UP THE
BOAT WAS TAKING
ON WATER. HE COULDN’T GET
ANYTHING IT STARTED TO SINK AND
THEN OF COURSE WE SAW HIM
CLINGING TO THE
VERY BAL. TRULY AN AMAZING
STORY AND AMAZING SAVE AND HE’S
THANKFUL FOR
♪