8 months ago
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TAMPA BAY, Fla. (NewsNation) — Despite interest from section officials, quality crews and societal media, TikToker “Lieutenant Dan” says he’s staying enactment connected his vessel arsenic Hurricane Milton barrels towards Florida’s westbound coast.
“I’m not going anyplace due to the fact that the safest to beryllium is connected a vessel during a flood,” “Lieutenant Dan,” whose existent sanction is Joseph Malinowski, told NewsNation’s Brian Entin.
Hurricane Milton dropped to a Category 4 aboriginal Wednesday. The National Hurricane Center had predicted it would apt weaken but stay a large hurricane erstwhile it makes landfall precocious Wednesday oregon aboriginal Thursday.
The Tampa Bay area, location to much than 3.3 cardinal people, faced the anticipation of wide demolition aft avoiding nonstop hits from large hurricanes for much than a century.
“I cognize everybody is disquieted astir me. Everyone wants maine to get disconnected the vessel … I person a secured anchor point. If the tide goes up, I spell up. As agelong arsenic the h2o stays retired of the boat, I’ll beryllium fine,” Malinowski said. “It’s not a tornado; it’s not going to beryllium thrown up into Kansas. I’m not suicidal.”
Malinowski antecedently rode retired Hurricane Helene from the aforesaid boat.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor antecedently said Wednesday that Malinowski had been rescued by section officials and was successful a shelter.
"The Tampa Police Department, this morning, conscionable saved Lieutenant Dan," Castor said astatine a property league Wednesday. "He has been rescued, and helium is present successful a structure arsenic well. If we tin get Lieutenant Dan to spell to a shelter, we tin get anybody to bash that."
Entin noted connected X, formerly Twitter, that Castor is wrong, and Malinowski is inactive connected his boat.
