A man and his young son were safely airlifted to safety after becoming stranded in the Big Cypress National Preserve in the Florida Everglades and finding themselves surrounded by “hungry” alligators.
The pair, whose names have not been released, were riding an ATV through the preserve on Dec. 4 when the vehicle ran out of fuel. About half an hour before sunset, the father called 911 to report that they were stuck, according to WMGT.
“We got stuck in a mud hole,” he can be heard saying in 911 audio shared by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). “Now we’re just here stranded, pretty far.” He explained that he had used the remaining gas trying unsuccessfully to free the ATV from the mud.
The man told dispatchers that he and his son were “almost out of water” and had no food, extra water or flashlights with them. Both had also lost their shoes in the thick mud. “So we’re barefoot,” he said, per WMGT.
As daylight faded, the two managed to build a small fire to keep warm — but they still had to contend with the surrounding wilderness.
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“The sun’s going down and the alligators are hungry, buddy,” the father said, according to WMGT.
Sheriff Kevin Rambosk later emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying, “And when the sun goes down in the middle of the Everglades, you need to get people out.”
Rescuers eventually located the father and son by helicopter. Video from the operation shows them waving their arms to catch the crew’s attention, while the glow of their fire helped guide the CCSO aviation unit to their location.
They were hoisted from the Everglades by helicopter just before sunset, and no injuries were reported.
“This is another example of CCSO’s great training put into practice and the success that comes from seamless partnerships,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
