Man rescued by Jacksonville fishermen after floating at sea all night

A man was rescued by a group of fishermen off the coast of Jacksonville on Sunday after he said he had been floating in the water all night.

The four fishermen left Jacksonville early Sunday morning and found the man in his 50s floating in the water a mile offshore around 11:30 a.m.

They quickly pulled him aboard and gave him a Gatorade.

The man, who has not yet been identified, said he is from Fernandina Beach and went for a swim alone at Jacksonville Beach around 10 p.m. on Saturday.

The fishermen called for help and brought him as close to shore as they could.

Then lifeguards took him in at the Atlantic and Neptune Beach line.

He told lifeguards the current made it too difficult to swim back to shore so he spent the night floating on his back and stomach and treaded water.

Lifeguards told CBS12 the man looked like he had been in the water for a long time.

"He was pruned but otherwise in good condition," the lifeguard said.

Atlantic Beach police said he was in good spirits.

He was taken to the hospital by ambulance to be checked out by doctors.

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