Overview
- Collier County deputies released video and 911 audio of the Dec. 4 airlift from Big Cypress National Preserve.
- The two became stranded when their ATV ran out of gas and stuck in a mudhole inside the 729,000-acre preserve.
- The father called 911 about 30 minutes before sunset, saying they were barefoot, soaking wet, low on water, and without food or flashlights.
- He warned dispatchers that “the alligators are hungry,” as aviation units homed in on their blaze and hoisted them to a helicopter; the men extinguished the fire on rescue.
- No injuries were reported, and Sheriff Kevin Rambosk praised training and partnerships while warning that conditions worsen after dark.