A 67-year-old kayaker from Virginia was rescued Monday in the Florida Everglades.
Officials from the Collier County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office said Mark Miele embarked on a solo kayaking trip Jan. 22 and was expected back Jan. 29, but he did not return.
Four days later, Miele’s bag, which included his phone and wallet, washed up on the banks of the Lopez River.
Collier County deputies, along with the National Park Service and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, were able to download the data from Miele’s phone and determine his last coordinates.
They then began searching the area and found Miele floating on his back, with his life vest, after spending several days in the chilly water.
Miele is recuperating at a local hospital.
Miele didn’t appear to be moving when he was first spotted floating in the river, chopper pilot Cpl. Ed Henderson told WINK-TV. He said if Miele had remained in the water for a few more hours, rescuers may have been too late.
“Turns out, when I talk to a guy after the fact that was on scene, he goes, ‘No, he was convulsing,’ ” Henderson said. “He’d been in the water for two solid days, and it’s been really cold.”
About the Author
