Man stranded on uninhabited island for 3 days off Florida coast rescued after shooting flares

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man Friday after he had been stranded for three days on an uninhabited island south of Florida.

An auxiliarist aircrew out of the Miami Coast Guard station was patrolling the Florida straits when the crew spotted a boat firing flares near Cay Sal, an island that is part of the Bahamas but located between the Florida Keys and Cuba. They notified the USCG Key West Sector, according to the USCG news release.

After locating the man who was sending the flares, another USCG Miami aircrew dropped supplies including food, water and a radio. With the radio, the man told the crew he had been stranded on the island for three days after his sailboat was became inoperable.

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The USCG Cutter Paul Clark crew rescued the man from the island and transported him to Royal Bahamas Defence Force in good health.

The identity of the man has not been released, but a spokesperson for the USCG Seventh District confirmed he is a 64-year-old Bahamian man.

“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,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Dev Craig, a Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstander. “Without seeing the flare, the case may not have had a successful outcome.”