need to know
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The Coast Guard said authorities were notified on January 9 that a 68-year-old man was missing and failed to return to his Airbnb in Puerto Rico.
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The man’s daughter said her father had gone surfing near Surfers Beach the day before
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He was later discovered and rescued by a helicopter
A 68-year-old man who was reported missing while surfing in Puerto Rico after failing to return was found alive more than 30 hours later.
The Coast Guard said in a statement over the weekend that they first heard about the man’s disappearance on Friday, January 9, when he failed to return to his Airbnb, more than 24 hours after he was missing.
After speaking with his daughter, officials confirmed that the man was surfing near Surfers Beach in Aguadilla at noon local time on January 8 and had not been heard from since.
The maritime law enforcement agency said an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter was dispatched from Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen with the assistance of other authorities to search the coastline and offshore waters north of Aguadilla.
“During a shoreline search, the helicopter crew discovered an individual matching the description of the missing surfer stranded on the rocks off Surfers Beach, close to a surfboard and attempting to signal the aircraft,” the Coast Guard said, explaining that “the location is inaccessible by foot or boat due to surrounding rocks, reefs and sea conditions.”
Coast Guard Southeastern United States
Coast Guard shares video of 68-year-old man who disappeared after surfing in Puerto Rico earlier
The Coast Guard later shared video of the 68-year-old man appearing to be using a cane as he fled to safety.
He was then placed on a stretcher and lifted by a rescue helicopter.
“Despite poor nighttime conditions and low visibility, the crew performed a flawless hoisting operation and safely rescued the aircraft’s occupants,” the agency added.
Capt. Robert Stiles, deputy commander of the Coast Guard in San Juan, who is responsible for coordinating the search and rescue mission, welcomed the results in a press statement.
“As soon as we received the information, we initiated an interagency search and rescue effort, especially after realizing that more than 24 hours had passed,” Stiles said. “This was truly a team effort and I appreciate the responsiveness and professionalism of Coast Guard Air Station Bolinquin, the San Juan Sector Command Center and our local first responders.”
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Stiles encourages those entering the water to have a plan, wear appropriate life-saving equipment and tell others about their plans ahead of time.
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