A man was rescued after spending 38 hours adrift at sea when his jet ski malfunctioned. Layonel Ramirez Collado, aged 27, endured three days stranded at sea before a rescue team found him under the scorching sun.
Reportedly, Collado was on a boat with friends near Juan Grande in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, when his jet ski detached from the vessel. He jumped into the water to retrieve it, intending to follow his friends back to shore. As night fell, he drifted farther out to sea while his friends waited on the coast.
Despite a search initiated when his friends raised the alarm at 11 pm, Collado, clinging to his jet ski, remained elusive. It wasn’t until the third day, after floating 15 nautical miles southwest of Arguineguín, that a passing aircraft spotted him.
Rescuers described Collado as dehydrated and sunburned but conscious as he patiently awaited rescue on his jet ski. He was eventually brought ashore by a cargo vessel, appearing to be in good health except for slight chest pain from lying on the jet ski hull.
Following the rescue, Collado was taken to San Roque Meloneras Hospital for evaluation. His family expressed relief at his return, with his mother confident he would come back safely, stating he held onto the jet ski to avoid drowning.
Collado’s family criticized what they perceived as a flawed initial response by Spanish authorities, noting the search was not continued at night and was conducted too close to the coast. After his harrowing experience, Collado expressed his desire to relax by watching Netflix, much to the joy of his loved ones.