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An 86-year-old man and his dog were rescued from a disabled sailboat drifting hundreds of miles off the California coast after he had not been heard from for more than two months.
The man was sailing from Astoria, Oregon, to Pago Pago, American Samoa, when contact with him was lost Aug. 20, the U.S. Coast Guard announced Friday.
Authorities were alerted Oct. 24 that he was overdue, launching a search for him and his sailboat, the Willow Wind.
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Three days later, the Coast Guard received an emergency beacon alert from the boat and sent aircraft and a cutter to search the area. Nearby ships were also asked to assist.
“Watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento C-27 Spartan aircrew and diverted an HC-130 Hercules aircrew and the Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward (WPC 1130), and requested assistance from nearby vessels,” the Coast Guard said.
A Coast Guard aircrew spotted the Willow Wind that evening about 460 miles off San Diego.
The motor vessel Grand Orion reached the sailboat early the next morning, but rough seas initially made it too dangerous to rescue the man and his dog.
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Later that day, the Grand Orion crew was able to safely bring them aboard. The Willow Wind had damaged sails and was left drifting at sea.
The following morning, a Coast Guard helicopter crew picked up the man and his dog from the Grand Orion about 170 miles west of Ventura, California.
They were flown to San Diego, where the man was taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital for further evaluation.
The Coast Guard did not provide additional details about his condition.
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“We are grateful to the merchant mariners and Coast Guard crews whose coordinated efforts brought this search to a successful conclusion,” Coast Guard Cmdr. Jason Nguyen said in a statement.
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“This case highlights the importance of carrying emergency communication equipment and creating a float plan, so someone ashore knows your voyage plans.”
The Coast Guard could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.
