Rob Konrad, Ex Miami Dolphins NFL Player, Falls Off Boat, Swims Nine Miles To Safety
Rob Konrad, the former Miami Dolphins quarterback, survived a fall from a fishing boat on Wednesday, reports USA Today. However, what he did after the fall is what is making headlines today!
The former football player — who represented the Miami Dolphins from 1999 to 2004 — was on a lone fishing trip in the Atlantic Ocean, when he fell off the boat. He was unable to get back on to the boat, which, according to him, was on autopilot. With Konrad left with no means to communicate and call for help, he was left with no option but to swim nine miles towards the coast to his safety — and he did it successfully.
According to AJC News, Konrad was on a fishing excursion from Boca Raton to Lake Worth when he went overboard. He was on board a 36-foot vessel, confirmed Petty Officer Mark Barney, who works as a spokesman for the U.S. Coast Guard.
The circumstances under which Konrad fell off the boat is still unknown. It is also not known as to how much time the former NFL player had spent in the water before he made it back to safety. What is known is that his fishing trip had commenced at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Konrad’s friends sensed trouble, after they failed to hear from him hours after he had set sailing. They contacted the Coast Guard, telling them about their missing friend. Following the report, the Coast Guard sent a helicopter crew to look for him.
By Thursday, the Coast Guard had decided to send in another aircraft team, since there was no sign of Konrad or his boat. However, as they were preparing to send the rescue aircraft, crews from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office reported that Konrad had made it safely to shore. Upon reaching the shore, Konrad was quickly taken to a local hospital for treatment, where he is said to be doing well. He did not show any signs of hypothermia, officials confirmed.
Meanwhile, officials are still looking for the boat that drifted away. Its location is still not known, and authorities assume it has drifted off in the directions of the Bahamas.
[Image Via WPTV]
