Man Rescued From Capsized Boat Rows Himself Back to Shore

Tide caused accident that capsized boat

RUSKIN, Fla. (AP) — A man whose boat capsized has been rescued from a Florida river.

The Tampa Bay Times reports Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a call early Thursday about a man crying for help in Little Manatee River. Deputies arrived to find 46-year-old Robert Sickler uninjured and lying on his capsized john boat.

Deputies said Sickler was too far out to be rescued from land so a sheriff’s helicopter was used to deliver a raft to Sickler, who then rowed himself to shore. Sickler says he was caught in an outgoing tide while fishing. He told deputies he tried paddling back to shore, but the tide pulled his boat into a bridge pylon, causing the boat to capsize.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that last name is spelled Sickler, instead of Stickler.