Stranded on deserted island, they lived on coconuts for 33 days, Coast Guard says

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Gilligan!



Hat tip, Newser, the clickbait site

Stranded on deserted island, they lived on coconuts for 33 days, Coast Guard says

By BROOKE BAITINGER and EILEEN KELLEY
SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL | FEB 10, 2021 AT 8:25 AM

Two men and a woman were rescued from a deserted island on Tuesday after surviving on coconuts, conch and rats for 33 days, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard spotted people waving makeshift flags on Monday as it was on a routine air patrol of the waters around Anguilla Cay, in a chain of islands between the Lower Keys and Cuba.

“We were alerted to them by the flags that they actually had in addition to a large cross that they put out there for themselves,” Aircraft Commander Mike Allert told WPLG-Ch. 10.

The Coast Guard picked up the case as a rescue mission and returned to drop water, food and a radio to them on Monday. The rescue was delayed 24 hours due to bad weather, Allert said.

{snip}

#BreakingNews
@USCG
is assisting 3 people who have reportedly been stranded on Anguilla Cay, Bahamas for 33 days. An Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew has dropped a radio, food and water. More to follow.
#D7 #Ready #Relevant #Responsive #searchandrescue #USCG

Link to tweet

The Coast Guard said the trio was from Cuba. They told the helicopter crew their boat capsized in rough waters nearly five weeks earlier, and they were able to swim to the deserted island. .... It was not immediately clear if they were migrants trying to make it to the U.S. or another country, or if they were fishermen lost at sea, said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Brandon Murray.

{snip}

This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.

Brooke Baitinger can be reached at: [e-mail], 954-422-0857 or Twitter: @bybbaitinger

Eileen Kelley can be reached at 772-925-9193 or [e-mail]. Follow on Twitter @reporterkell.

[underpants]

1. I saw this on Tge Weather Channel and forgot to check it out

Thanks

The Weather Channels website really sucks.

[DFW]

2. If that had happened to me

I don‘t think I would even set foot inside a Thai restaurant for the next five years.

[ret5hd]

7. But would you like a tasty Pina Colada?

[DFW]

9. No way Jose

But I don‘t do alcohol at all, so it‘s not like I‘d be giving up much

[Irish_Dem]

3. Amazing to see flight crew in an open bay while plane is in the air,

throwing out supplies which hit the target.

I would not want to be standing at the edge of a flight bay while plane is in the air.
Plus I would never be able to hit the target.

[unc70]

4. They do have safety belts

[Irish_Dem]

5. Right, I saw the safety belts.

I got dizzy just looking at their view and wouldn't want to rely on the safety belts.

I would rather be in the cockpit, not the open bay.

[mr_lebowski]

6. Even deserted islands in the middle of nowhere have rats?

That's kinda amazing.

Resourceful little buggers they are

[samnsara]

8. i hope the men behaved