WATCH: Absolutely Insane Footage Shows Coast Guard Rescuing Man Who Hopped Out of Boat an Instant Before it was Toppled By Massive Wave

Harrowing footage shows a dramatic Coast Guard rescue of a man who hopped out of his boat an instant before it capsized … and that’s just the beginning of this wild story.

The rescue happened at the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. According to the Pacific Northwest U.S. Coast Guard, two Coast Guard air crews who happened to be conducting a training mission in the area received a mayday alert from a boat nearby. When the crews arrived, they saw a 35-foot yacht swaying back-and-forth in what were very choppy waters. Conditions were deemed too dangerous to have the crews airlift the man directly from the boat, so they dispatched a rescue swimmer and had the boater jump off so he could be pulled from the water.

Dramatic video posted by the Pacific Northwest U.S. Coast Guard’s account shows the man hopping out of his boat — with the vessel continuing to sway in the surf. But just before he could jump into the water, a massive wave crashed into the yacht and toppled it.

Miraculously, though, the rescue swimmer — Petty Officer 1st Class Branch Walton — was able to reach the boater and pull him to safety. The air crew then flew the man to a local hospital, according to the AP, where he was treated for mild hypothermia.

But there’s more to this bizarre incident. It turned out the boater, 35-year-old Canadian Jericho Labonte, was piloting what authorities say was a stolen yacht. And Labonte was wanted by police in Astoria, Oregon for leaving a dead fish at the home used in the 1985 film “The Goonies.” He is believed to have shared a video of the moment to Facebook, after after authorities were alerted to the clip, they realized he was the man they were seeking was the same man who had been pulled from the water.

Labonte was also wanted for a variety of crimes in both Oregon and British Columbia, including; charges of theft, endangering another person, unauthorized use of a vehicle, criminal mischief, and criminal harassment.

Watch above.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet Newsletter
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!