US: Man missing at sea for two weeks rescued off Washington State coast

A sailor missing for two weeks and drifting in the ocean miles away from coast in a small life raft was rescued by a fishing boat on Sunday just days after US Coast Guard had abandoned search for him and one other missing person.

The man is being considered extremely lucky as he clung on to hope in open waters of ocean, a huge expanse to start with, with no immediate sign of rescue.

The American man was found in Canadian waters by a Canadian fishing boat. He was found 70 miles away from Washington State's Cape Flattery.

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The US Coast Guards' Pacific Northwest command posted on X, showing the location in the ocean where the man was found. The coast guard also posted a photo of the man in his life raft just as the fishing vessel was approaching him for his recue.

The two sailors had left by boat from Washington's Garys Harbour on October 12. The they were due to return on October 15. But the US Coast Guard was alerted when the sailor did not return well after October 15.

After combing 14000 square miles of water, the US Coast Guard called off the search on Wednesday.

Although officials did not reveal names of the men who rescued the sailor, KING-TV has reported that it was Ryan Planes and his uncle John, from Sooke, British Columbia.

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"We pulled him on board. He gave me a big hug and it was emotional," John said.

"We made him breakfast. He drank three bottles of water. He was pretty hungry, poor guy," John said.

The Canadian fishermen then called the Canadian Coast Guard which transported the rescued sailor back to the shore.

The whereabouts of the second sailor are not known and CBS News has reported that US Coast Guard has kept the matter "under investigation."

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