A recent video highlights the U.S. Coast Guard’s effort to rescue a man who was holding on to a cooler after Hurricane Milton hit on Thursday — an event that officials have labeled as “a nightmare scenario.”

In the footage, the man can be seen in the water approximately 30 miles off Longboat Key, where he was rescued via helicopter that afternoon.

On that morning, air stations in Clearwater and Miami mobilized search efforts. The man was identified as the captain of the fishing vessel Capt. Dave.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s statement indicated that he was taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical evaluation.

Coast Guard previously rescued the captain days before

The boat “was left adrift while salvage arrangements were being arranged,” as per the press release.

Two days later, the boat’s owner alerted the Coast Guard that the captain had gone to the vessel for repairs and had not returned.

The Coast Guard was able to re-establish radio contact with the captain, who reported that the rudder had snagged a line, which caused him to become disabled while trying to return to port.

Officials instructed the captain to wear a life jacket and “remain with the vessel’s emergency position indicating radio beacon.” However, they lost contact with him just before 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

He was discovered around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. Lt. Cmdr. Dana Grady, chief of Sector St. Petersburg’s command center, stated that the coolers played a crucial role in his survival.

“This man endured a terrifying ordeal, even for seasoned mariners,” Grady said in a statement. “To comprehend the hurricane’s intensity, we believe he faced sustained winds of around 75-90 mph and waves of 20-25 feet for an extended period, including overnight. He survived, thanks to his life jacket, the emergency position indicating locator beacon, and a cooler.”