Coast Guard rescues 2 pilots after hard landings in Central Florida

Polk County Sheriff's Office helicopter goes down while heading to crash

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The U.S. Coast Guard rescued pilots from two separate helicopter crashes in Florida.

WFLA-TV reports a Polk County Sheriff's Office helicopter went down while heading to the crash of a gyrocopter Thursday afternoon near Fort Meade in Central Florida.

The gyrocopter pilot was standing and waving when the sheriff's helicopter made its hard landing. The sheriff's office pilot let his office know they were both OK, but were stuck in a pond made up of soft clay in an extremely rural area.

A Coast Guard crew eventually pulled the men to safety. They were taken to hospitals for treatment.

The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the cause of the crashes.

The Coast Guard rescued two pilots from two separate helicopter crashes near Ft. Meade, Florida. U.S. Coast Guard. Read more at https://lnks.gd/2/_TxMZD

Posted by U.S. Coast Guard Southeast on Thursday, October 3, 2019

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