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Found after 65 days at sea

A man missing at sea for more than two months has celebrated a miraculous rescue after being picked up by a passing ship and airlifted to land, the US Coast Guard says.

Louis Jordan, who was reported missing on January 29, told family members he survived by catching fish with his hands and drinking rain water, the coast guard said.

He was spotted drifting on his stricken sailboat – a 35-foot vessel called Angel – more than 300km off the coast of North Carolina by the German-registered Houston Express tanker and taken aboard.

A US Coast Guard helicopter then hoisted him to safety and transported him back to a hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, a statement said.

Frank Jordan, the sailor’s father, told CNN he did not know what had caused his son’s boat to break down.

In an audio clip released by the coast guard, the father asked his son how he was feeling.

“I’m doing fine now,” Louis said.

The rescued sailor said he was unable able to fix the boat and sail it back to South Carolina, from where he departed in January.

He said he worried every day that his parents were crying and believed he was dead.

“We were. I thought I lost you,” his father said.

Father’s message to son’s rescuer: ‘I sure appreciate it, sir’

Frank said his son was in good spirits during a brief conversation with him following his rescue.

He told CNN he had not given up hope Louis would be found alive despite his inexperience as a sailor.

“I knew he had a good seaworthy boat,” Frank said.

“I felt the boat was going to keep him alive, [but] I had all sorts of worries because he’s not an experienced sailor.”

Back in January, Louis left the relative safety of the marina where the boat was moored to “go out and catch some fish”.

How his son ended up so far off course was unknown, Frank said.

“I called him at one point a few days after he left land … and he was a few miles offshore,” he said.

“As far as how he got off track, I don’t know.”

He said his son’s “strong constitution” and religious belief had kept him alive.

“He told me on the phone that he was praying the whole time, so I believe that sustained him a great deal,” he said.

In an audio recording broadcast on US media, the father thanked the skipper of the German vessel for saving his son.

The captain was not named.

“You are a good man, I swear. You did what you’re supposed to do and I sure do appreciate it and I know my son appreciates it,” Frank said.

“This is a beautiful world. If everybody would just do the right thing it would be great for all of us.

“I sure appreciate it, sir.”

“It is a pleasure for us,” the skipper said.

AFP

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