Missing Boaters Were Stranded in Ocean After Electrical Issue. Then Wind Helped Propel Them Home Over 24 Hours Later

Two boaters were found alive after drifting offshore for more than a day off Central Florida, aided by an electrical failure and, ultimately, favorable winds. Patrick Watson and Danny Gibson departed Lake Helen around 6 a.m. on Monday, June 8, aiming to fish roughly 30 miles offshore. Their white 25-foot Carolina Classic boat broke down around 4 p.m., leaving them stranded overnight. Coast Guard, FWC, and Volusia County authorities coordinated a search, locating the pair about 25 miles off Ormond Beach the next day. They were reported healthy, describing long hours of worry and the crucial help from wind pushing them toward shore.