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Nighttime swim leads to early morning rescue

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 6, 2009

Updated: 06/06/2009 10:11 pm

REDINGTON BEACH - A 32-year-old man who went for a predawn swim in the Gulf of Mexico was rescued this morning after almost five hours treading water, the Coast Guard said.

Joseph Foley was found about 8:30 a.m., about 300 yards west of Redington Beach. He was not wearing a life jacket and appeared to be suffering from hypothermia, the Coast Guard said.

Foley was transferred to Johns Pass where emergency medical personnel were waiting.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office received a call about 4 a.m. reporting a man in the water was waving his arms in distress. The call was transferred to the Coast Guard.

A 25-foot vessel from Coast Guard Station Sand Key and an HH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater were launched to search the area.

According to initial reports, the man was on the beach with a couple of other people when he decided to go swimming. When the glow of the man's cigarette vanished, his associates presumed something was wrong.

An earlier version of this story misspelled the swimmer's last name.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.

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TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE

u s coast guard • gulf of mexico • petty officer • cigarette • consciousness • 911 • 30 minutes • authorities

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