Emotional footage exhibits surfer being rescued after vanishing for 30 hours – and the tearjerking second his family members had been advised
A surfer who disappeared for more than 30 hours was miraculously rescued off the coast of Puerto Rico on Friday.
Video shared online showed the unidentified 68-year-old man being hoisted onto an MH-60 Jayhawk Coast Guard helicopter after he was found standing on a reef with his surfboard next to him.
He was in stable condition and was safely transported to first responders who were waiting for his arrival at Coast Guard Air Station Borninquen, authorities said.
‘What a terrific outcome,’ said Captain Robert Stiles, deputy command sector commander of Coast Guard Sector San Juan and the search and rescue mission coordinator in this case.
‘We activated the interagency search and rescue effort as soon as we received the information, especially after realizing that it had been more than 24 hours,’ Stiles said.
‘It was truly a team effort and I appreciate the responsiveness and professionalism of Coast Guard Air Station Borninquen, the Sector San Juan Command Center and our local emergency responders,’ he continued, noting: ‘This case could have easily had a different outcome.’
Authorities said the Coast Guard Sector San Juan first received a notification the night of January 9 about a person who was reported missing by an Airbnb host after he failed to return to the rental property for more than 24 hours.
The man’s daughter later confirmed that he had gone surfing at noon the day before at Surfer’s Beach in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, and had not been heard from since.
A surfer who had disappeared for more than 30 hours was found standing on a reef off the coast of Puerto Rico on Friday
Coast Guard authorities were able to hoist the unidentified 68-year-old man to safety
Almost immediately afterward, the Coast Guard coordinated with the Puerto Rico Police Department, Joint Forces of Rapid Action, US Border Patrol and local emergency responders.
At the same time, the Coast Guard launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from the air station to conduct shoreline and offshore searches north of Aguadilla.
The Joint Forces of Rapid Action maritime assets as well as local authorities also conducted their own shoreline and offshore searches.
Eventually, a Coast Guard helicopter crew spotted an individual matching the description of the missing surfer stranded on rocks outside Surfer’s Beach.
He was apparently trying to signal the helicopter for help, but due to the surrounding rocks, reefs and sea conditions, the location was inaccessible by foot or boat.
The Coast Guard crew also battled nighttime conditions and low visibility as they successfully hoisted the man to safety.
The Coast Guard launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from the air station to conduct shoreline and offshore searches north of Aguadilla. A Coast Guard helicopter is pictured
Once the man was safely onboard the helicopter and on his way to Air Station Borninquen, Stiles relayed the good news to his daughter and her mother.
‘We located your dad,’ he said in audio of the phone call released online. ‘He was actually on a reef.’
‘I’m sure he’s dehydrated, I’m sure he’s had a rough night, but he’s conversant,’ the captain noted. ‘We’re gonna have paramedics standing by to check him out, but he’s alive and well.’
The daughter then thanked the Coast Guard profusely for their efforts.
‘Oh my gosh, thank you so much, thank you so much,’ she could be heard telling Stiles. ‘Thank you so much for what you do for him.’
