Andrew Smith, a Florida fisherman, saved a teenage girl drowning in a rip current by using his drone to deliver a flotation device. Happening on May 15 at Pensacola Beach, the incident began when a girl approached Smith for help for her friend who was being pulled away by the current. Although Smith initially struggled with the strong winds causing a failed first rescue attempt, he regrouped and succeeded in delivering the flotation aid, enabling the girl to float safely back to shore. Smith's actions have garnered widespread praise online.
Smith's first rescue attempt did not go well. Fazed by strong winds at the beach that day, he released the flotation device too early - a potentially costly mistake that nearly overwhelmed Smith.
Smith said he looked down at a drone he had and got an idea. He could have the drone fly a flotation device out to the girl in distress, who had been battling the rip current for about five minutes.
The drone can swim [even if] I can't, he said he thought to himself. Smith's heroics, which have gone viral, unfolded after he made a last-minute decision to fish at Pensacola Beach.
I was shaking pretty badly, Smith said. It was nerve-wracking - I almost cried. But Smith composed himself, got another flotation device and flew the drone back out.
Collection
[
|
...
]