A Spanish man, Layonel Ramírez Collado, was rescued after spending approximately 38 hours adrift at sea following a jet ski breakdown off the Canary Islands. The 23-year-old was on a nighttime outing with friends on September 29 when he attempted to retrieve a loose jet ski. Unfortunately, the vehicle malfunctioned, leaving him vulnerable to strong winds and currents that swept him further out to sea.
His friends reported him missing around 10:30 PM that evening, prompting a multi-agency search operation. Collado endured two nights adrift before being located alive by a Sasemar Maritime Rescue aircraft on October 1, approximately 15 nautical miles southwest of Arguineguín. Rescue footage showed him slumped on the jet ski, suffering from dehydration and sunburn. He received medical attention from the Red Cross upon his return to shore.
Before the rescue, Collado’s family expressed dissatisfaction with the search efforts, criticizing the lack of nighttime operations and the focus on coastal areas despite adverse weather conditions. They also questioned the number of aircraft utilized and were frustrated by authorities’ refusal to allow private boats to assist in the search for safety reasons.
