MIAMI — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark rescued a man who said he was stranded for three days on uninhabited Cay Sal, Bahamas, after his vessel became disabled during his voyage.
Cay Sa is a small island in the Cay Sal Bank between Key Large, Fla. (62 miles), Cuba (31 miles) and Andros Island, Bahamas (156 miles).
On Friday, the crew transferred the man to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in good health.
Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders received notification from a Coast Guard Air Station Miami Auxiliary aircrew of a disabled sailboat firing flares near Cay Sal.
A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew found a man stranded on the island and dropped supplies including food, water and a radio to establish communication.
“We’re proud to have saved this man’s life," Petty Officer 3rd Class Dev Craig, a Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstander, said. "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.”