• Florida man rescued after being trapped in mud for days without food or water

Rescue teams in Florida successfully saved a man who had been missing since Feb. 14 after he became stuck in mud resembling "quick sand" for several days, without access to food or water.

Authorities in Putnam County said 36-year-old Andrew Giddens from Jacksonville was pulled to safety from a Vulcan Materials Company site east of Melrose.

Giddens’ family had not seen him since Feb. 14 and reported him missing after he fell into depression following a recent breakup.

Police shared on social media that deputies found Giddens “covered in mud up to his shoulders and submerged below the surrounding grass, making him nearly invisible.”

The Palatka Fire Department said the man had “remained trapped in the mud for several days without food or water while temperatures in the area were freezing.”

Video footage shows rescuers initially trying to pull him free with ropes, then using ladders, wooden planks, and other tools to dig him out. The sheriff’s office added that “the unstable ground required teams to proceed slowly to avoid sinking themselves.”

After more than two hours, Giddens was freed at around 8:30 p.m. ET. He was able to communicate with rescuers but was airlifted to a trauma center in critical condition.

Fire departments from Putnam County, Palatka, Melrose, and Clay County all assisted in the rescue operation.

Authorities noted that Giddens’ abandoned car was found on February 23 and that he had previously trespassed on a different Vulcan Materials site in 2023. Police said they would not press trespassing charges due to his mental health.

“We hope he can recover both physically and mentally from this ordeal,” the sheriff’s office said, urging families and friends to check on loved ones during stressful periods.

A spokesperson for Vulcan Materials said, “Our team at the Grandin Sand Plant handled the trespassing incident with care, guiding first responders to a man in distress. We are grateful for his safe rescue and thankful to all first responders involved.”