POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A routine training mission turned into a life-saving operation Wednesday evening, April 29, after a boater fell overboard into Lake Arbuckle and vanished beneath the surface.
What began as a search by local authorities quickly escalated into a high-tech rescue effort involving a United States Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II, famously known as the “Warthog.”
The emergency began when Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched to the Frostproof lake following reports that a man had fallen from a moving vessel.
According to witnesses, the remaining passenger on the boat was unable to locate him, prompting an immediate “all-hands” response. PCSO deployed a massive search grid including patrol units, the Marine Unit, aviation support, and drones.
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Because Lake Arbuckle sits right on the edge of the Avon Park Air Force Range, the Sheriff’s Office contacted the military base to warn them about the civilian and police aircraft filling the airspace.
At the time, the Range was in the middle of active training exercises. In a decisive move, the Air Force suspended its drills and redirected an A-10 Thunderbolt II to the search area to provide an extra set of eyes from above.
The specialized military aircraft arrived on the scene almost instantly. Using its advanced sensors, the pilot spotted the drifting vessel and guided the PCSO helicopter toward the location. Shortly after, the missing man was spotted near the shoreline, a short distance from where he had originally gone under.
The PCSO Marine Unit successfully pulled the man from the water and transferred him to Polk County Fire Rescue teams waiting on land. Officials confirmed the boater was treated for minor injuries and transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
Following the successful rescue, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude to the Air Force team at the Avon Park Range, noting that the unique collaboration was the key to an “outstanding outcome.”
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