A man whose boat had capsized in 10-20 foot waves off the North Carolina coast in storm conditions, set about swimming in a last ditch effort to save himself. That's when he bumped into one of several life boats that had been dropped upwind via parachute by a Coast Guard helicopter in hopes one might reach the man before divers from a Navy ship arrived.

The Missouri man, Dennis Clements, captain of the Gloria A Dios, was finally rescued by sailors from the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, who were called in to help when conditions were too severe for the Coast Guard.

Watch the video from WVEC below…

Watch an interview with Clements via the Coast Guard YouTube channel…