Incredible moment man is found clinging to an ice box in the Gulf of Mexico after 'nightmare scenario' when his boat sank amid Hurricane Milton - as death toll climbs to 16

A lucky sailor was rescued from almost certain death amid the fallout of Hurricane Milton yesterday after he was found floating adrift in the Gulf of Mexico clinging to an ice box. 

The man, who has not been identified, was aboard a small fishing vessel when he was caught in the hurricane as it barreled across the sea and headed for the Florida coast on Wednesday afternoon. 

The brutal storm whipped up horrific waves that smashed into his boat and disabled it, leaving him with no choice but to place a panicked call to the coastguard station in St Petersburg around 6.45pm local time. 

Coastguard officials lost contact with him and were unable to mount a rescue on Wednesday with Milton bearing down on Floridas west coast, sparking fears he would perish on the raging seas overnight.

But with the hurricane having ripped inland by Thursday morning, a coastguard helicopter embarked on a last-ditch search and rescue mission - and miraculously located the desperate mariner floating some 30 miles out to sea, using an open cooler as a floatation device.

The agency estimated the man had survived winds of 75 to 90mph (121 to 145kph) and waves up to 25 feet (7.6 metres) high during his night on the water.

This man survived in a nightmare scenario for even the most experienced mariner, Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Dana Grady said.

A 14-year-old boy was also rescued after he was found adrift in Tampa Bay, holding onto a piece of wooden fencing in another successful maritime operation. 

Milton, which was registered as a terrifying Category 5 hurricane hours before it made landfall in Florida late Wednesday, did not prove to be the once-in-a-century storm many had feared. 

But at least 16 people have been confirmed dead since the storm fizzled out into the Atlantic Ocean yesterday after it smashed through coastal communities and flooded streets, bringing with it a barrage of deadly tornadoes that tore homes to pieces.

Arriving just two weeks after the devastating Hurricane Helene, Milton knocked out power to more than 3 million customers, flooded barrier islands and ripped the roof off Tropicana Field - the Tampa Bay Rays baseball stadium.

It demolished a series of mobile homes, dealt significant damage to properties across Floridas western coastline, and also sent a construction crane toppling into a tower block and smashing through several storeys. 

There were at least 16 hurricane-related deaths, CBS News cited the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as saying overnight, many of which were registered even before the eye of the storm hit the coastline.

A flurry of tornadoes whipped up in St. Lucie County hit a retirement village, killing five occupants according to local officials. 

Several more people were reported dead in St Petersburg, and another was killed after a tree fell through a roof in Volusia County.

There were fears on Wednesday that Tampa would be battered by the eye of the storm - a worst-case scenario that wouldve likely resulted in many more deaths.

Fortunately, Milton tracked south before making landfall, sparing the city of some 3.1 million a direct hit - but the region was still plunged into a state of major emergency.

The city itself and St. Petersburg recorded over 16 inches (41 centimetres) of rain, prompting the National Weather Service to warn of flash flooding there as well as other parts of western and central Florida.

Further south, the Lee County Sheriffs Office reported localised flooding and storm surge, and Lorraine Anderson, the public information officer for Venice Beach, said the area saw an estimated 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2 meters) of storm surge.

Officials in the hard-hit Florida counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota and Lee urged people to stay home, warning of downed power lines, trees in roads, blocked bridges and flooding.

Tampa mayor Jane Castor added she was pleased the area did not see storm surges close to the predicted levels of 15 feet, which could have submerged entire houses.

But she urged residents to stay inside and warned that its not over, insisting that Hillsborough County could flood amid high tides.

Meanwhile, some evacuees who were fortunate enough to make their way back into their properties after leaving shelters today were met with a terrifying surprise.

Clips surfaced on social media showing how unsuspecting residents returned home to be confronted by alligators who had worked their way into flooded houses and gardens. 

Milton arrived in Siesta Key near Sarasota as a Category 3 storm overnight Wednesday and whipped eastwards, pounding towns and cities with ferocious winds rain and a barrage of tornadoes before exiting over Orlando and into the Atlantic Ocean late Thursday morning.

It has compounded the misery wrought by Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago, with the death toll expected to rise in the coming days as rescue efforts reveal the true extent of Miltons fury. 

The storm also knocked out power across a large section of Florida, with more than 3.2 million homes and businesses reportedly left without electricity and in some cases water.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis said on Thursday morning that the aftermath of Hurricane Milton was not the worst case scenario.

He told reporters that the worst storm surge appeared to be in Sarasota County, where it was 8 to 10 feet - less than the highest levels recorded during Hurricane Helene two weeks ago.

He added crews across the state spent the night clearing debris, and confirmed that President Joe Bidens administration had agreed to all of Floridas request for emergency assistance.

Our state is a peninsula in the middle of a tropical environment. I mean, we are just built to be able to respond to hurricanes, DeSantis said. 

Well survey the damage and get people on their feet. Well get through this.

Milton also spawned at least 19 tornadoes, the governor said, causing damage in numerous counties and destroying around 125 homes, most of them mobile homes.

Meanwhile, officials in Sarasota said: We know everyone is eager to see how our community fared following Hurricane Milton.

At this time, please stay where you are and continue to shelter in place. It is not safe to venture outside yet.

Sheriff Chad Chronister of Hillsborough County, home to Tampa, said: Well let you know when its safe to come out.

Floridians were also warned that their electric vehicles could pose a deadly threat during salt water storm surges.

Fire marshal Jimmy Patronis warned that storm surges in coastal areas can turn EVs and other products powered by lithium-ion batteries into ticking time bombs, claiming that at least 50 fires were sparked by lithium-ion batteries during Hurricane Helene.

The average citizen I guarantee you does not realise they have a liability in their house with the salt water flooding, Patronis told the Miami Herald, urging owners to unplug the cars and move them to higher ground.

Even with Miltons wrath proving less severe than first thought, emergency rescues and cleanup crews have their work cut out to save many residents who remain stranded without power and aid. 

The first casualties were reported even before Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm around 8:30pm EST (1:30am BST) on Wednesday, bringing catastrophic flooding, 120mph winds and several twisters. 

Miltons eye slammed into Siesta Key near Sarasota, about 70 miles (112 kilometres) south of Tampa, battering houses, overturning vehicles and sucking debris into the air.

After making landfall, Milton began rumbling east, ripping up everything in its path before tearing apart the roof of Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team in St. Petersburg.

Shocking images showed gaping holes in the fabric that serves as the domed buildings roof, suggesting the stadium may well have been ravaged.

Meanwhile, a tower block housing the offices of the Tampa Bay Times suffered massive damage when a crane was toppled and smashed into its facade, ripping through several stories and sending debris tumbling into the streets below. 

At least 117 tornado warnings were issued in communities across the state overnight and into this morning, with dozens reported to have materialised and wrought havoc.

Dr Steven Godby, an expert in natural hazards in Nottingham Trent University, explained Floridas building codes mean the majority of structures are built to withstand incredible forces - but he said there are thousands of houses that couldve sustained significant damage.

With Milton making landfall to the south, Tampa Bay appears thankfully to have escaped its worst-case scenario with respect to storm surge but considerable wind damage is likely to have been sustained and the area has some of the highest density housing in Florida. 

Building codes introduced across the state following the devastation brought by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 have made a real difference but it is estimated that over 800,000 homes in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties were built before the adoption of more robust, wind-resistant construction. 

About 90 minutes after making landfall, Milton was downgraded to a Category 2  and was later pushed down again to a Category 1 storm.

But it was still registering powerful winds of up to 90 miles (150 kilometers) per hour on Thursday morning as it trundled through Orlando, according to the National Hurricane Center.

A flood of vehicles headed south Thursday evening on Interstate 75, the main highway that runs through the middle of the state, as relief workers and evacuated residents headed toward the aftermath. 

As the cleanup efforts began in earnest, the states vital tourism industry was beginning to return to normal this morning.

Florida theme parks including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld planned to reopen Friday after an assessment of the effects of the storm.

Orlando International Airport, the states busiest, said departures for domestic flights and international flights would resume Friday, after resuming domestic arrivals Thursday evening. The airport had minor damage, including a few leaks and downed trees.

Milton prevented Simon Forster, his wife and their two children from returning to Scotland as planned Wednesday evening, so they enjoyed an extra two days of their two-week vacation on a bustling International Drive in Orlandos tourism district on Thursday. 

Hurricanes seem to follow them since 2022s Hurricane Ian kept them from returning to Scotland after another Orlando vacation.

Two extra days here, there are worse places we could be, he said.

Others were just feeling lucky to be alive.

Natasha Shannon and her husband, Terry, discovered that the hurricane peeled the tin roof off of their cinderblock home in their neighbourhood a few blocks north of the Manatee River, about a 45-minute drive south of Tampa. 

She pushed him to leave as the storm barreled toward them Wednesday night after he resisted evacuating their three-bedroom house where he grew up and where the couple lived with their three kids and two grandchildren. 

She believes the decision saved their lives.

They returned to find the roof of their home scattered in sheets across the street, the wooden beams of what was their ceiling exposed to the sky. 

Inside, fiberglass insulation hung down in shreds, their belongings soaked by the rain and littered with chunks of shattered drywall.

It aint much, but it was ours. What little bit we did have is gone, she said. Its gone.

With shelters no longer available and the cost of a hotel room out of reach, they plan to cram into Terry Shannons mothers house for now. After that, theyre not sure.

I dont have no answers, Natasha Shannon said. What is my next move? What am I going to do?