Miracle rescue of father and autistic son who floated for 15 hours in shark-infested seas

Rescuers have described finding Walter Marino and his son Chris, 12, alive as a miracle.

The pair survived overnight by treading water in choppy but relatively warm seas off the  Florida coast known for its frequent shark attacks.

Chris Marino, 12, is released from Halifax Medical Center, in Daytona Beach, following his ordeal

Despite being separated in the darkness both Walter, 46, and his 12-year-old  son, who suffers from autism and is unable to speak, kept their heads above  water.

The rescue drama began after Chris got into difficulty while swimming near a jetty at Ponce Inlet, close to Daytona Beach on Florida's Atlantic Coast.

As the 12-year-old suddenly began struggling against a rip tide his father dived into the water to try and rescue him.

Miracle: Chris and dad Walter were rescued after treading water for 15 hours in shark-inhabited waters near Daytona Beach, Florida

But the current and waves were too strong and the pair were swept out to sea on Saturday evening.

Walter's 14-year-old daughter alerted the coastguard and a helicopter was scrambled to try and locate the pair.

Local boats also joined the search which had to be called off when darkness fell over the area.

Marino later told coastguard officers he and his son drifted apart after clinging together for five hours and he feared his son had drowned.

Florida's Atlantic coast is a known for its shark attacks with more than a dozen people already injured this year.

Marino and was spotted as dawn broke by a fishing party led by Mark  McMichael.

His son was picked up two hours later after being spotted by a coast guard cutter.

Due to his autism Chris had been unable to cry out for help.

Marino said he had heard the Coast Guard helicopters circling but because the waves were over 3ft high he remained obscured from view.

"He was very shaken up and we got him on board and gave him a jacket, a cell phone so he could call his family and two to three bottles of water," said rescuer Mark McMichael.

"He was very upset. He kept telling us he had lost his son."

Chris was found by a Coast Guard helicopter more than 12 kilometres from  where he was swimming and two kilometres from where his father was rescued.

One Coast Guard veteran has since called it as close to a real life miracle  as he's ever seen in his 35-year career.

"When we resumed the search at daylight we all assumed it was to recover  the bodies," said a coast guard officer.

"It is nothing short of a miracle that they have survived for long in the  water."
 
Father and son were treated at the Halifax Health Medical Centre in Daytona  Beach and said to be in a "fair condition".