A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew airlifted a Florida man from a life raft off Puerto Rico and flew him to safety this weekend after he had fled his boat from fear that the larger vessel would capsize.
Coast Guard personnel in the San Juan sector first got an alert from the pleasure boat Solamar on Saturday morning. The boat was around 20 nautical miles south of Guayama, Puerto Rico, at that time.
The personnel also established contact with the only person on the boat, 42-year-old Keith Mcpartlan, who reported that he was disoriented and having issues navigating, the Coast Guard said.
By Sunday morning, a Coast Guard crew found the Solamar. The boat’s navigation lights were out, it was going around in circles and there was no one aboard.
By 9:30 a.m. local time, the Coast Guard found a life raft and Mr. Mcpartlan, who explained that he left the Solamar because he feared it was going to capsize.
Mr. Mcpartlan was airlifted and taken to Fernando Luis Ribas-Dominicci Airport in San Juan. The Coast Guard did not say whether Mr. Mcpartlan needed medical treatment nor did it specify the ultimate fate of the 40-foot Solamar.
“Our crew was notified of this distress situation due to emergency position indicating radio beacon alert. We cannot stress how important it is to have the proper lifesaving equipment,” Coast Guard Lt. Stan Raymond, who co-piloted the helicopter that saved Mr. Mcpartlan, said in a statement.