A man was rescued by sheer luck after drifting an incredible 23 miles out to sea on a lilo.
The lucky drifter was spotted by chance by the crew of the LPG tanker Epic Shikoku on Monday (10 Nov).
They alerted the Tarifa Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Spain’s Cádiz province.
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The search-and-rescue vessel Salvamar Gadir was dispatched and picked up the man 37km off the coast of Estepona, in Málaga province.
He was found to be healthy and was taken safely back to shore. Local media reported that he is not an immigrant.
Spain’s Salvamento Marítimo agency said: “It was a toy, an inflatable float – a kind of mattress you might have at home for guests.
“The vessel Epic Shikoku spotted a person in the water on a float, 20 nautical miles south-east of Estepona.
“Our Tarifa Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre dispatched the crew of Salvamar Gadir, who picked him up in good condition and transferred him to Estepona.
“The sea is not a float. Respect it, take care, stay alert, and prioritise maritime safety.”
Although Málaga’s swimming season officially ended on 15 September, the recent warm weather – with temperatures hitting 25 °C in some areas – has tempted many back into the water.
Earlier this year, on 29 June, a five-year-old boy and his grandmother were rescued after drifting more than two miles out to sea on a lilo, as reported by Need To Know.
Wind and currents carried the boy far from shore while he lay on the inflatable. His grandmother tried to reach him but was unable to swim back herself.
The pair ended up around two nautical miles (2.3 mi) from the shore, according to the Italian Coastguard.
Footage shows a coastguard, with a rubber ring around his torso, reaching the boy in the middle of the sea.
He was lifted onto a patrol boat and reunited with his grandmother, who had been rescued moments earlier.
The incident took place off Castellammare di Stabia, in the Bay of Naples.
The boy’s grandfather fell ill on the beach during the ordeal but received assistance. Once ashore, the rescued pair were handed over to emergency services for a check-up.
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