The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man marooned on an uninhabited Bahamian island between Florida and Cuba, according to a statement.
The Coast Guard Air Station Miami Auxiliary aircrew picked up signals of a disabled sailboat firing flares near Cay Sal, the Coast Guard said Aug. 18 in a statement. The aircrew reportedly notified the Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders.
Another aircrew, from the Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry, spotted the unnamed stranded man and “dropped supplies including food, water and a radio to establish communication. The man notified the crew he’d been stranded for three days after his vessel became disabled during his voyage,” the statement read. (RELATED: Authorities Suspend 40-Hour Search For Missing Teenage Mariner, ‘Pending Further Developments’)
#BREAKING @USCG Cutter Paul Clark’s crew rescued a man on #CaySal, #Bahamas, Friday. The mariner reported being stranded on the island for three days.
The crew transferred the man to @TheRBDF in good health. #SAR #Partnerships🇺🇸🤝🇧🇸
Read more here: https://t.co/bdsTIQlsoK pic.twitter.com/WA5cKjaMej
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) August 19, 2023
The watchstanders then diverted the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark, a sentinel-class fast-response security vessel to rescue the man. The crew rescued and “transferred the man to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force in good health,” per the statement.
“We’re proud to have saved this man’s life. This case serves as a perfect example of why you must have the proper safety equipment on your vessel. Without seeing the flare, the case may not have had a successful outcome,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Dev Craig, one of the Coast Guard watchstanders.
The unnamed mariner is a 64-year-old Bahamian national, the New York Post reported.