Posted on 02/10/2021 5:57:26 PM PST by Hojczyk
Three people believed to have been stranded on an uninhabited island in the Bahamas for 33 days have been rescued, the US Coast Guard says.
An aircrew was on a routine patrol when it spotted the group frantically waving a makeshift flag on Anguilla Cay. The Cuban nationals told officials they had survived largely on coconuts.
One of the crew members involved in the rescue efforts told the BBC he was "amazed that they were able to survive f
The group was first spotted on the island located between the Florida Keys and Cuba on Monday.
Coast Guard official Riley Beecher told the BBC that he was out on patrol when "something caught the attention of my eye". When he came back round at a lower altitude, he realised that there were people on the island in distress.
The crew was not equipped to carry out an immediate rescue, but food, water and a radio were dropped to them so they could communicate. "Unfortunately we didn't have any fluent Spanish speakers but in my broken Spanish I was able to discern that they were from Cuba and that they needed medical assistance. They made sure to stress that they had been on the island for 33 days," Lt Beecher said.
The group of two men and one woman told Coast Guard officials that they swam to the island after their boat sank. Justin Dougherty said the group later told him they were "able to get nourishment from coconuts".
"At first glance the island doesn't seem to have much, but there is some shrubbery there and some trees so they were able to stay out of the elements somewhat," he said
I've never come across anyone who's been [stranded] for anywhere like that length of time before," L
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Why would they leave Paradise for a hellhole like the U.S.?
“Why would the United States Coast Guard be involved in a situation which is about three non-US citizens shipwrecked on a Bahamian Island?”
Law of the sea. If you can assist distressed mariners, you must.
It was terrible, there we were, stranded with nothing but food and water for 33 days ~ W. C. Fields, paraphrased
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz8_ZePCTqM
Put de lime in de coconut and shake it alll about...
Ancient folk remedy. You gotta dance to it to make it work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz8_ZePCTqM
Put de lime in de coconut and shake it alll about...
Ancient folk remedy. You gotta dance to it to make it work. Sure cure for Covid
It is essentially a ten mile sandbar about 75 miles off Cuba's north central coast.
There are actually two sandbars about 1 mile apart. At its widest point, the island is only about 500 yards in width.
The aerial photograph shows a lot of greenery, but not enough detail to distinguish trees from basic ground cover.
Finding enough fresh water to drink would be serious hard work every day. You cannot really dig because the sand will just collapse in on itself. And, if you can dig more than a few feet deep, you will hit salt water intrusion.
Those folks would have had to crack open about 30 coconuts a day just to stay hydrated.
Catch and release?
the water in the ground of the sand bar would be salty, but if you had a piece of clear plastic, you could make a solar still.
illustration: https://worldwaterreserve.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Solar_still-e1534913647934.webp
(I didn’t post because there might be copyright laws against it).
webpage discussion:https://worldwaterreserve.com/potable-water/purification/how-to-make-a-solar-still/
I just KNEW that would be here! Thanks!!
“The aerial photograph shows a lot of greenery, but not enough detail to distinguish trees from basic ground cover.”
Did you try “street view”?
I did try Street View.
Nothing available.
I basically wanted to see if there were enough coconut trees to keep three people alive for five weeks.
Their story sounds a little fantastic to my ear.
There is also the problem of finding a sufficient number of ripe coconuts each day to maintain basic nutrition and calories.
And, busting open coconuts without tools is also serious hard work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwiXKv68hEk
“And, busting open coconuts without tools is also serious hard work.”
Well - not if you can remember how Survivor Man did it! (I didn’t remember - had to search the web. I’m guessing this island doesn’t have internet service!?)
I suspect the Cubans didn’t hold up quite that well.
Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?
it’s not unusual to find coconuts or people washed up on some beaches in florida...
“Law of the sea. If you can assist distressed mariners, you must.”
Yes, of course, I understand and understood that having been driving small boats from the age of only 4 years. However, that does change the question:
Why would a United States Coast Guard aircraft be violating Bahamian air space by flying over a Bahamian Island?
That makes another question necessary: Why did the Bahamian government not shoot down the aircraft or, at the very least, file a complaint with U.S. authorities?
“Why would a United States Coast Guard aircraft be violating Bahamian air space by flying over a Bahamian Island?”
Educated guess, but I’d suppose there is a Status of Forces agreement in place.
My first thought was “what did the sailboat look like?”
Was it five styro foam coolers lashed together with twine and glue? Was the sail made from a bed sheet? Was the mast a broom handle? What the hell were these dopes doing in God’s Great Waters? My answer is they were trying to get to the USA, seek asylum and live a happy life.
Wait until they learn that Bai-Den Djouh is president.
They will beg to be returned to Cuber.
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