Dramatic bodycam footage captured the heart-stopping moment a stranded, barefoot father and son were plucked from alligator-infested waters in the Florida Everglades after getting trapped in a mudhole.
The gripping video showed the two men standing beside a large fire, frantically waving at a rescue chopper before deputies rappelled down into the flooded grasslands and hoisted them to safety as night closed in last Thursday, according to wild footage shared by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
“We got the call about 30 minutes before sunset,” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said, WMGT reported.
The father and son were rescued Thursday night after getting trapped inside the Big Cypress National Preserve. Collier County Sheriff's Office“And when the sun goes down in the middle of the Everglades, you need to get people out.”
The terrified dad dialed 911 after their ATV ran out of gas and got swallowed by mud deep inside the Big Cypress National Preserve – a sprawling 729,000-acre swamp – where they were stranded with no food, flashlight, and barely any water, deputies said.
Both also ended up barefoot after their shoes got stuck in the muck, the dad warned dispatchers.
“My four-wheeler ran out of gas,” the rattled parent told the emergency operator, according to the video.
“We got stuck in a mudhole, and now we’re just here stranded. Pretty far and almost out of water with my son. The sun’s going down and the alligators are hungry, buddy.”
The terrified dad dialed 911 after their ATV ran out of gas and got swallowed by mud and were stranded with no food. Collier County Sheriff's Office
They were also running out of water and had lost their shoes in the muck, leaving them barefoot. Collier County Sheriff's Office
The panicked father flagged that the soaking-wet pair started a fire to stay warm — but wildlife started to creep toward them. Collier County Sheriff's OfficeThe panicked father flagged that the soaking-wet pair started a fire to stay warm — but wildlife started to creep toward them. It wasn’t clear exactly how long there were stuck before being rescued.
The sheriff’s office Aviation Bureau tracked them down in the vast wildlife preserve after spotting the blaze, which the duo doused as deputies arrived, officials said.
No injuries were reported. Collier County Sheriff's Office“He’s in the cabin … roger,” rescuers said after the daring mission, the video showed.
The relieved father could then be seen crossing himself over his chest before patting his son’s helmet.
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 added.
