Man Who Fell From Canoe Rescued After Getting Lost In Forest For 2 Days

A Florida man who fell out of a canoe was rescued by a police helicopter after getting lost in the dense forest for two days, officials said.

Davidson Anjab, 39, got lost in the Alexander Springs area of Altoona after he went canoeing with his two friends Sunday and their boat suddenly capsized. Although the three men ended up in the water, two of Anjab's friends managed to get back to the canoe. Anjab, who couldn't get in, swam to the nearby shoreline and yelled to his friends that he would walk back and meet them. However, police began a search operation after the man lost his way and could not meet up with his friends, NY Post reported.

The officials launched the operation involving Marine Patrol Unit, K-9, helicopter units, and mounted posse before the man was located Tuesday. Anjab was found about one-tenth of a mile into the woods near the shoreline where he was last seen, police said, as reported by Wesh.com.

A video of the rescue operation was posted online by Lake County Sheriff's office Wednesday. The footage shows Anjab along with several officers on the ground, waving at the rescue helicopter from a small clear strip amid the dense forest.

A rescuer from the helicopter could be then seen lowering himself to the ground, attaching himself to Anjab, using safety belts before pulling him to safety. The video also shows the emergency officers giving first-aid to Anjab, who was found severely dehydrated after spending around 40 hours in the wilderness.

"He was transported to an area hospital where he will receive fluids and medical attention as he recovers from being out in that environment for roughly 40 hours," the Sheriff's office said in a statement Tuesday.

The Sheriff's office thanked all the rescue agencies involved and said the mission was made possible because of their team effort. "The Sheriff's Office would like to thank each agency that responded to assist, as well as all the volunteers who showed up and gave of their time and resources, and the witnesses who called in with information to provide. This was a team effort and we couldn't be more grateful! Wishing Mr. Anjab a speedy recovery!" the statement read.