Walter Finch
A YOUNG man had the blessing of a saint after he was rescued from the Mediterranean sea 20km off the Costa del Sol.
Rescuers were astonished to realise he was attempting to cross the Strait of Gibraltar equipped with nothing more than an inflatable ring, flippers and a wetsuit.
The extraordinary rescue unfolded on July 16 when passengers aboard a sailing boat bound for the Balearic Islands spotted what they initially thought was a fish or bird floating south of Benalmádena.
It was only when they looked through binoculars that they realised it was a person struggling in the water.
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The sailboat’s crew immediately pulled the man aboard and alerted Spain’s maritime rescue service.
He was found wearing a wetsuit and carrying the basic equipment that had apparently sustained him during his perilous journey across one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
Witnesses said the rescued man barely spoke during his time on the boat, remaining wrapped in blankets despite being given dry clothes, water and a warm drink.
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The timing of his rescue proved fortuitous, as July 16 marks La Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of the sea.
The religious celebration significantly increases boat traffic along the Costa del Sol, providing the man with a greater chance of being spotted.
The rescued man was eventually transferred to Malaga port, where he was reported to be in stable condition.
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