ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., – The Coast Guard rescued a 32-year-old man Saturday around 8:30 a.m. after he went for a swim around 3:30 a.m., and spent almost five hours treading water near Redington Beach, Fla.
A Good Sam contacted Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office at about 4 a.m. reporting a man in the water waving his arms in distress. The call was transferred to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders.
A 25-foot smallboat crew from Coast Guard Station Sand Key, Fla., and an HH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., were launched to search the area for the missing swimmer.
After about three hours of searching, Joseph Folley was located treading water about 300 yards west of Redington Beach.
Folley was not wearing a life jacket and appeared to be suffering from hypothermia. He was transferred to John’s Pass where EMS was waiting.
