A man was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after being found clinging to a cooler about 30 miles off Longboat Key, Florida, following Hurricane Milton's landfall as a Category 3 storm. The man, a fishing boat captain, had reported being disabled at sea due to storm conditions and had lost contact with the Coast Guard the evening before his rescue. He survived harsh weather, including estimated winds of 75-90 mph and 20-25 foot seas, thanks to a life jacket and the emergency position indicating radio beacon. Air Station Miami's helicopter crew successfully retrieved him around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, after which he was transported to Tampa General Hospital for medical care. Coast Guard officials commended his survival in what they termed a 'nightmare scenario' for any mariner. Emergency services were impacted across the state due to the storm's severity, suspending some operations temporarily.