Overview

• The rescue occurred on May 15, when a teenage girl was caught in a rip current at Pensacola Beach, Florida, during red flag conditions indicating dangerous surf.
• Andrew Smith, a shark fisherman, improvised by attaching a flotation device to his drone after realizing he could not swim to help due to his seizure disorder.
• Smith’s first attempt to deliver the device failed in high winds, but his second drop successfully reached the girl, who clung to it until first responders arrived.
• Local paramedics and lifeguards stated the girl likely would not have survived without Smith’s quick thinking and drone-assisted intervention.
• Smith, now being hailed as a hero, is using the viral attention of the rescue to advocate for greater awareness of beach safety and flag warning systems.