Sailor Survives Being Stranded at Sea for 12 Days

A sailor who had been missing since Thanksgiving and found south of Hawaii on Tuesday has returned to shore, Coast Guard officials said Wednesday, days after the search had been called off.

Ron Ingraham is an experienced sailor but sent out distress calls on a recent trip between the Hawaiian islands of Molokai and Lanai, alerting maritime officials that his boat was in danger of sinking, according to a Coast Guard report about his rescue. After a hard wave hit his 25-foot vessel, knocking him off and damaging his radio, he towed himself back to the boat. But after the search came up empty, it was called off.

On Tuesday, however, Ingraham sent a mayday call that saved his life. Coast Guard officials responded and found Ingraham weak, hungry, and dehydrated.

He was able to subside on his boat for 12 days by catching fish, Ingraham told ABC News. “It wasn’t as good as a sushi bar, but that’s how I hydrated.”

[ABC News]