'Job well done': Maine lobsterman Ryan Miller helps miracle rescue of missing man after hearing mysterious cries from sea

ST GEORGE, MAINE: Maine lobsterman Ryan Miller, responding to faint cries for help, joined a multi-agency search that ultimately saved a man's life.

The man, who had been checking on storm damage to his skiff, was thrown into the freezing waters off the coast of Maine when his boat capsized.

Despite the intensifying weather and challenging terrain, a three-hour rescue operation led by local lobstermen and first responders resulted in his safe return to shore and subsequent hospitalization.

Maine lobsterman's miraculous rescue 

The man in distress, a property owner, had been checking on storm damage to his skiff, a small flat-bottomed boat, when it capsized between Tenants Harbor and Rackliff Island.

As the sun set around 5 pm on Sunday, the man found himself plunged into the freezing waters. His situation was further exacerbated as a drizzling shower intensified into a downpour.

The alarm was raised when the man missed his 4.15 pm pickup time at the marina. His worried wife promptly called 911, but her husband could have been anywhere.

He had managed to swim to the shore of one of the northern islands off the coast of Maine, but was trapped and unable to signal his location.

Despite the challenging conditions, a team of over 25 first responders from St George Fire and Rescue, Marine Patrol, US Coast Guard, and Knox County Sheriff’s Office launched a search operation.

Their efforts were bolstered when a nearby citizen on a different island heard the man's moans and called 911, significantly narrowing the search radius.

Upon hearing the radio chatter, Miller joined the search and ultimately located the victim.

However, the man was stranded on an island with a narrow passage and rocky terrain, making access by boat impossible.

Exhausted and with no energy left, the man was unable to navigate the rocky terrain, per Pen Bay Pilot.

The first responders worked in shifts to strap the man to a Stokes litter, wrap him in a tarp, and painstakingly navigate him through the dense woods and tidal pools.

The first walking party began the journey, with the second team taking over at 7.15 pm.

By 7.26 pm, the man was loaded into a small Marine Patrol boat and transferred to the US Coast Guard, who took him to shore in Tenants Harbor. From there, he was rushed to the hospital with his wife.

"One lobsterman was in touch with one of our chiefs and made his way to the location to see if he could locate the missing man. He did. Our local lobstermen saved his life," said St George Fire and Rescue on Facebook.

What did St George Fire and Rescue say post-rescue?

The team shared on social media, "While tonight’s outcome feels like a victory, we do not know at this time what the future holds for our patient. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts on his road to recovery."

"What we can all do tonight is take notes from the family and implement this one simple thing that kept tonight from having a tragic outcome: Have a plan. When you are going out on the water, establish check in times. If those times are missed, CALL IT IN . You are not overreacting," the team said.

Internet praises the rescue efforts

Social media users reacted to the miraculous 3-hour rescue, applauding the efforts involved in the operation. 

"Kudos to all who helped! Good work!" said a Facebook user.

Another user wrote, "Great job St George people are the best!!!"

One person mentioned, "A job well done! Thank you for all you do! Prayers going out for the family involved."

Another user said, "I am so grateful for all of the wonderful people in this community who stepped up. Thank you!"

A user on X commented, referring to the lobsterman's timely presence as a "lucky coincidence."

He said in his tweet, "This dude was out there fishing for lobsters when he heard the cries, so it's not like he was actively looking to be a Good Samaritan."

"It was just a lucky coincidence that he happened to be in the right place at the right time."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.