A 68-year-old man was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after being stranded for more than 24 hours off the coast of Puerto Rico. The incident began when the man went surfing near Surfer’s Beach in Aguadilla around noon on January 8. After he failed to return, an Airbnb host reported his absence to authorities on January 9, and the man's daughter confirmed he had not been heard from.
The Coast Guard responded by launching a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Borinquen to search the shoreline and offshore areas north of Aguadilla. During their search, the helicopter crew located a person matching the missing surfer's description stranded on rocks with his surfboard nearby. The area was inaccessible by foot or boat due to rough seas, rocks, and reefs, so the aircrew used a cable hoist to lift him into the helicopter under challenging nighttime conditions.
Secretary Kristi Noem praised the Coast Guard's actions: “The men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard are the best of the best in the world at what they do,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “On January 9th in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Coast Guard found a 68-year-old man alive after being stranded for more than a day, and executed a heroic and flawless operation to rescue him by helicopter despite rough seas, rocky surroundings, and low visibility in the dead of night. The men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard are diligent and dedicated, and America is blessed to have them keeping watch.”
Capt. Robert Stiles, deputy sector commander of Coast Guard Sector San Juan and search and rescue mission coordinator for this case, commented: “What a terrific outcome! We activated the inter-agency search and rescue effort as soon as we received the information, especially after realizing that it had been more than 24 hours. It was truly a team effort and I appreciate the responsiveness and professionalism of Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen, the Sector San Juan Command Center and our local emergency responders. This case could have easily had a different outcome. We urge all mariners and anyone entering the water to have a plan, communicate your intentions with someone and wear all proper life saving equipment.”
The operation involved coordination among several agencies including Coast Guard Sector San Juan, Air Station Borinquen, U.S. Border Patrol, Puerto Rico Police Department, Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA), Aguadilla Municipal Office of Emergency and Disaster Management, and Puerto Rico Emergency and Disaster Bureau.
