A man drifted for three days on a jet ski at sea (3 photos + 1 video)

23-year-old Lionel Ramírez Collado disappeared Monday night off the coast of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Spain. A boat trip with friends went awry when their jet ski became separated from their boat. Collado boarded it and headed toward the dock.





Friends called emergency services that evening when he failed to show up at the agreed-upon meeting point. Strong winds and currents swept the man out to sea, where he drifted on the jet ski for three days.



An active search has begun, involving patrol boats, helicopters, and shore teams.

Around midday on October 1, Collado was spotted alive. He remained conscious and signaled for help.



The man was found 16 nautical miles (about 30 km) southwest of Gran Canaria and taken to the port of Arguineguin, where he was examined by doctors.

He suffered only minor injuries and was generally in good health, considering the circumstances.

The survivor's family is dissatisfied with the rescue operation. They criticized the rescue services for not conducting a night search and for focusing too much on coastal areas, despite strong winds. Authorities also barred volunteers from participating for safety reasons.

Collado's mother said, "My son held onto the jet ski, and that's what saved him."