{"id":29816263,"date":"2026-10-27T17:01:31","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T16:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/?p=29816263"},"modified":"2026-10-27T17:01:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T16:01:44","slug":"a-10-warthogs-find-missing-boater-lake-arbuckle-florida-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/a-10-warthogs-find-missing-boater-lake-arbuckle-florida-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"A-10 Warthogs Help Find Missing Boater on Florida&rsquo;s Lake Arbuckle"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color 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But in late April 2026, two Warthogs training over central Florida turned their night vision goggles and targeting pods on Lake Arbuckle and helped deputies find a 73-year-old man who had gone overboard in the dark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f5f5f5;border-left:4px solid #1a1a1a;padding:18px 22px;margin:24px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px\"><li><strong>When:<\/strong> Evening of Wednesday 29 April 2026, as reported by Task &amp; Purpose on 1 May<\/li><li><strong>Where:<\/strong> Lake Arbuckle, a lake of nearly 4,000 acres in Polk County, Florida, next to the Avon Park Air Force Range<\/li><li><strong>Aircraft:<\/strong> Two A-10s of the 74th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia<\/li><li><strong>Search agency:<\/strong> Polk County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office, with boats, helicopters and drones<\/li><li><strong>Sensors used:<\/strong> Night vision goggles; targeting pods including thermal imaging<\/li><li><strong>Outcome:<\/strong> Man found alive near the shoreline with minor arm injuries<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">A Broken Boat and a Man Overboard<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the Polk County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office, two boaters called for help when their boat broke down on Lake Arbuckle and left them stranded. A second call followed: while they were trying to fix the engine, one of them, a 73-year-old man, had fallen into the water, and his companion could not find him. Deputies searched with patrol boats, helicopters and drones as the light faded.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">&ldquo;Keep Clear&rdquo; Becomes &ldquo;Can We Help?&rdquo;<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two A-10s from the 74th Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, were training over the neighbouring Avon Park Air Force Range. The sheriff&rsquo;s office contacted them only to ask them to stay clear of the airspace where its helicopters were working. Instead, the pilots suspended their training and offered to join the search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the time they reached the lake, it was dark. The flight lead, who was qualified as a &ldquo;Sandy&rdquo; rescue escort pilot, scanned the water through his night vision goggles and noticed a faint light that appeared to be coming from a cellphone. He slewed his targeting pod onto it, found the stranded boat and talked the sheriff&rsquo;s helicopters onto it. The second pilot used his pod&rsquo;s thermal imaging to search the wetlands and the water for the missing man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The man was found a short distance away, near the shoreline, with minor injuries to his arm, and was taken to a local hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;These requests happen very rarely, but in this case, circumstances lined up to have A10s in the area.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>2nd Lt. Kristina Schlemmer<\/strong> &mdash; spokesperson, 23rd Wing, Moody Air Force Base<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Sandy: the A-10&rsquo;s Other Job<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finding people is not new to the Warthog. A-10 pilots have long flown the &ldquo;Sandy&rdquo; mission, escorting rescue helicopters into hostile territory, finding and protecting downed aircrew and coordinating the whole recovery. The name comes from the Vietnam-era A-1 Skyraiders that first flew the role. According to Task &amp; Purpose, seven A-10s escorted two Air Force rescue helicopters on a daylight mission to recover a downed F-15E crew member in Iran in spring 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The type is now in its final years with the Air Force. We have followed its drawdown in <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/a-10-weapons-school-closes-66th-weapons-squadron-final-sortie-2026\/\">A-10 Weapons School Closes While the Warthog Flies to 2030<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/nellis-a-10-warthog-final-departure-66th-weapons-squadron-2026\/\">Nellis A-10 Departure: The Warthog Leaves Fighter Town USA<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What the Popular Version Gets Right<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The story as it is circulating is accurate: the two stranded boaters, the 73-year-old who fell overboard, the search with boats, helicopters and drones, the two Moody A-10s training over Avon Park that were only asked to keep clear, the night vision goggles and the cellphone light, the targeting pod and thermal search, the man found alive with minor arm injuries, and the 23rd Wing spokesperson&rsquo;s comment. The jets came from the 74th Fighter Squadron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Sources: Kyle Rempfer, &ldquo;Two Air Force A-10s rescued lost boater on Florida lake&rdquo;, Task &amp; Purpose (1 May 2026), citing the Polk County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office and the 23rd Wing; US Air Force, 23rd Wing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>Did A-10s help rescue a boater in Florida?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. In late April 2026 two A-10s of the 74th Fighter Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, training over the Avon Park Air Force Range, joined a Polk County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office search on Lake Arbuckle and helped find a 73-year-old man who had fallen from a broken-down boat. He was found alive near the shoreline.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How did the A-10 pilots find the boat at night?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The lead A-10 pilot spotted a faint light, apparently from a cellphone, through his night vision goggles, pointed his targeting pod at it to find the stranded boat, and guided the sheriff&rsquo;s helicopters to it. The second pilot searched the water and wetlands with his pod&rsquo;s thermal imaging.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Where is Lake Arbuckle?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Lake Arbuckle is a lake of nearly 4,000 acres in Polk County, central Florida, next to the Avon Park Air Force Range, where US Air Force aircraft train.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is a Sandy pilot?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A Sandy pilot is qualified to lead combat search and rescue: escorting rescue helicopters, locating and protecting downed aircrew and coordinating the recovery. The A-10 has long flown the role, which takes its name from the Vietnam-era A-1 Skyraider rescue escorts.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Which unit were the A-10s from?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The two A-10s belonged to the 74th Fighter Squadron of the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Was the missing man found alive?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Yes. According to the Polk County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office, the 73-year-old was found a short distance away near the shoreline with minor arm injuries and taken to a local hospital.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Did A-10s help rescue a boater in Florida?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. In late April 2026 two A-10s of the 74th Fighter Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, training over the Avon Park Air Force Range, joined a Polk County Sheriff\u2019s Office search on Lake Arbuckle and helped find a 73-year-old man who had fallen from a broken-down boat. 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The second pilot searched the water and wetlands with his pod\u2019s thermal imaging.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Where is Lake Arbuckle?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Lake Arbuckle is a lake of nearly 4,000 acres in Polk County, central Florida, next to the Avon Park Air Force Range, where US Air Force aircraft train.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is a Sandy pilot?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A Sandy pilot is qualified to lead combat search and rescue: escorting rescue helicopters, locating and protecting downed aircrew and coordinating the recovery. 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According to the Polk County Sheriff\u2019s Office, the 73-year-old was found a short distance away near the shoreline with minor arm injuries and taken to a local hospital.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/a-10-weapons-school-closes-66th-weapons-squadron-final-sortie-2026\/\">A-10 Weapons School Closes While the Warthog Flies to 2030<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/nellis-a-10-warthog-final-departure-66th-weapons-squadron-2026\/\">Nellis A-10 Departure: The Warthog Leaves Fighter Town USA<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/hh-60g-pave-hawk-final-flight-retired-129th-rescue-wing-2026\/\">Pave Hawk Retires: The HH-60G&#8217;s Last Flight After 44 Years<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two A-10 Warthogs from Moody Air Force Base were training over Florida when a sheriff&rsquo;s search for a man overboard on Lake Arbuckle asked them to keep clear. Instead, the pilots offered to help, and their night vision goggles and targeting pods found the boat in the dark.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":29816165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29816263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A-10 Warthogs Help Find Missing Boater on Lake Arbuckle | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Two Moody AFB A-10s training over Avon Park dropped their mission to help Polk County deputies find a 73-year-old who fell from a boat on Lake Arbuckle at night.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/a-10-warthogs-find-missing-boater-lake-arbuckle-florida-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A-10 Warthogs Help Find Missing Boater on Lake Arbuckle | MiGFlug\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Two Moody AFB A-10s training over Avon Park dropped their mission to help Polk County deputies find a 73-year-old who fell from a boat on Lake Arbuckle at night.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/a-10-warthogs-find-missing-boater-lake-arbuckle-florida-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Afterburner - 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