Sky 10 flew to Florida’s west coast Friday morning, where search and rescue operations are underway after Hurricane Ian ravaged the area this week.
Sky 10 flew over the areas of Naples, Bonita Springs Beach, Estero Bay, Little Hickory Island, Lovers Key State Park, the South Fort Myers Pass and the San Carlos Pass.
Here is some of the footage that has come in from our helicopter crew so far:
Rescue crews have piloted boats and waded through riverine streets to save thousands of Floridians trapped amid flooded homes and buildings shattered by Hurricane Ian.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at least 700 rescues, mostly by air, were conducted on Thursday involving the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Guard and urban search-and-rescue teams.
Ian had come ashore Wednesday on Florida’s Gulf Coast as a monstrous Category 4 hurricane, one of the strongest storms ever to hit the U.S.
It flooded homes on both the state’s coasts, cut off the only road access to a barrier island, destroyed a historic waterfront pier and knocked out electricity to 2.6 million Florida homes and businesses — nearly a quarter of utility customers.
Some 2.1 million of those customers remained in the dark days afterward.
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