A man clinging to his sinking boat for more than 30 hours survived to be rescued when a passing cargo ship spotted him more than 80 miles off the coast of Florida.
CHILLY! YOU CAN SEE THE BREEZE ON THE TREES THERE. >>> WE TURN NOW TO A MIRACULOUS RESCUE AT SEA. THIS GUY WAS CLINGING TO HIS SINKING VOTE FOR MORE THAN 20 HOURS. THE LUCKY SURVIVOR IS CURRENTLY ON BOARD A CARGO SHIP WHICH PLUCKED HIM OUT OF THE WATER. >> THE SHIP WILL TALK LATER TODAY IN DELAWARE. THEY TELL US THAT THE FLORIDA TRUCK DRIVER IS A LUCKY TO BE ALIVE WITH THE ESTIMATED ONE OUT OF 100 MILLION CHANCES AND SURVIVING. >> THIS IS THE FACE OF SURVIVAL, STUART DEHYDRATED AND WEATHER WARNED BUT REMARKABLY ALIVE AFTER A TERRIFYING STRUGGLE AT SEA. THREE DAYS AFTER HE LEFT COURT 86 MILES FROM THE FLORIDA SHORE, HE WAS FOUND CLINGING TO A TINY PORTION OF HIS 32 FOOT VOTE. IT IS HARD TO MAKE OUT BUT THAT IS AN EXHAUSTED YET DETERMINED STUART WITH ARMS WRAPPED AROUND THE BOW. THE REST OF THE BOTH SUBMERGED. THE CREW OF THE CARGO SHIP SPOTTED HIM. >> WE JUST RESCUED ONE PERSON FROM A CAPSIZED BOAT. >> Reporter: LATER WITH THE COAST GUARD. >> I DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY. I THOUGHT, THIS WAS IT. AND THEN I SAW A VESSEL IN THE DISTANCE AND I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES AND I COULD NOT SEE IF IT WAS COMING TO ME OR NOT BUT I BEGAN WAVING AND TOOK MY SHIRT OFF AND WAVED PERIODICALLY. >> THE PICTURE I SEE, HE IS STANDING ON THE BOW AND HE IS DARK. AND WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE BOW OF A VESSEL LIKE THE CARGO CONTAINER OR EVEN FROM AN AIRCRAFT, THAT WILL KIND OF MELDED INTO THE OCEAN, DOESN'T IT? >> UNBELIEVABLY SO! I CANNOT PUT INTO WORDS HOW SHOCKING FOR THEM TO SEE HIM OUT ON THE WATER 86 MILES FROM SHORE. >> Reporter: THE COAST GUARD HAD ALREADY SCRAMBLED ONE PLANE TO LOOK FOR HIM WHEN HE WAS REPORTED MISSING. >> THAT IS A MADE-FOR-TV MOMENT . THAT IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. A TRULY EXTRAORDINARY PHASE. >> Reporter: HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ON BOARD TO SEND OUT A DISTRESS SIGNAL AND PINPOINT HIS LOCATION. >> THREE TIMES, I TRIED TO HOLD MY BREATH AND SWIM DOWN AND GET IT BUT I COULDN'T. >> Reporter: STUART TAKING THIS PHOTO WITH THE SAILOR WHO RESCUED HIM. STEWART'S FAMILY IS GRATEFUL. >> THE FIRST THING HE SAID, YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY FOUND HIM. >> SO INCREDIBLE.
