A dramatic rescue unfolded in Fort Lauderdale when a man in his 40s was saved from a canal after nearly drowning Wednesday afternoon. According to sources from Local 10 News, the man was playing with a remote control boat in a canal near Northwest 3rd Court, and 19th Avenue when it became entangled opposite the canal bank. He attempted to retrieve it by swimming across but soon found himself in distress. Fire rescue workers reported that he then went under the water and did not resurface.
Divers from the Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue were dispatched to the scene. The victim was discovered after an urgent search in the water, near W. Broward Boulevard. Upon recovery, the man experienced cardiac arrest, prompting fire responders to administer CPR before he was taken to the hospital. As of the latest reports from NBC Miami, his condition remains unknown, and his identity has yet to be released.
The rescue operation took place around 5:30 p.m., and the man, who was reportedly by himself during the incident, was immediately transported to Broward Health Medical Center. At the time of admission, he was described as being in extremely critical condition, according to authorities cited by Local 10 News.
The Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue officials have not provided details on how long the victim was submerged, or what might have caused him to go under the water.
