Marathon, Fla. (WFLA) — A man has been rescued after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee (FWC) discovers officers are clung to a kayak that “barely barely over the water” overturned his head.
The man was not wearing a life jacket, so on July 19th, it was a mile south of the Spanish Port Bridge for the marathon, officials said.
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A Bodycam video showed one of the officers throwing a rope at the exhausted Kayaker and screaming, “I’m going to throw this at you, right?”
The man grabbed the ahold of the rope and the officer pulled him towards the FWC boat. The officer then grabbed the man’s hand and tried to get him on, but he was too tired.
“I’m not ready,” Kayacker said with breath.
The officer decided to walk the kayaker to the back of the boat. There, the man was able to ride safely. The officer then gave him a life jacket to wear, emphasizing the importance of having safety equipment.
According to the FWC, own death is the main cause of death in boat accidents.
While talking to the officer on the boat, the kayaker told them he had been caught in RIP current and paddling for at least 20-30 minutes.
“I began to pray to God, then this man appeared,” Kayakker told the officer who saved him.
The officer said the driver just knew the man was in trouble because he happened to find him in the water from the bridge. They were dispatched after the driver asked for help.
“You’re one lucky sob,” the officer said that the kayaker was not injured.
