Miracle escape: Man missing at sea nearly for 2 weeks, found alive in life raft

He left the Washington coast on October 12 and was found on October 26 in Canadian waters by a fishing boat

By ANI

Published: Sun 29 Oct 2023, 9:24 PM

One of two men missing at sea for nearly two weeks was found alive by a Canadian fishing boat in a life raft in Canadian waters, approximately 112km northwest of Cape Flattery, Washington, reported CNN.

The man was found on Thursday, according to US Coast Guard spokesperson Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier.

"The fact that he was in this life raft for multiple days, and still maintained hope, and was eventually found by a more or less random fishing boat was incredible and just a miraculous thing," Strohmaier told CNN. "The ocean is a very vast place. He was floating in the middle of nowhere. A lot of times, it is pretty infrequent to have a vessel passing by," he added.

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On Sunday, the Coast Guard was alerted to a missing fishing vessel that left the Washington Coast on October 12 and was due back on October 15, reported CNN.

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"They left from Westport, Washington," Strohmaier said. "They were due back on the 15th, and a week later, the Coast Guard was made aware."

The man was found by a Canadian fishing boat "in Canadian waters, and from that, the Good Samaritan vessel radioed the Canadian Coast Guard. So, they came out ... and took him back to shore where he could then go to a hospital. When he went to the hospital, he was reported to be in stable condition," he added.

Moreover, the US Coast Guard highlighted that at this point in time, another person remains missing and the incident remains under investigation, CNN reported.

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The US Coast Guard was further asked about when they would resume the search for the missing mariner, he said: "We are waiting to hear more information to gather along eyewitness accounts and statements from him (the person found) to determine what future action we can take, or the Canadian Coast Guard may take."

On Tuesday, the US Coast Guard posted about the search for the missing vessel on X, stressing, "USCG searching for the 43-foot vessel Evening with 2 people aboard, which departed Grays Harbor October 12 and reportedly intended to return October 15."

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the service said it had suspended the search "pending the development of new information" after "crews searched over 14,000 square miles for over 8 hours."