A kayaker in Maine who was found shortly after the U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search on Thursday survived in cold water with a wetsuit and a life jacket.
Adrian Cerezo told the Coast Guard he was paddling off the coast of Maine when a wave knocked him out of his kayak around 10 a.m. Wednesday. The water was 49 degrees and he was only wearing a winter wetsuit and a life jacket at the time.
Cerezo sent three "mayday" broadcasts over the radio before the device died. Unsure if anyone heard him, he took his kayak and swam to Bois Bubert Island, according to the Coast Guard. he got back into his kayak and paddled back to Petit Manan.
A Maine Fisheries and Wildlife officer recognized Cerezo's voice after hearing it on news reports.
250-POUND TURTLE FOUND IN FLORIDA POOL
Search crews, including the Canadian Coast Guard, Maine Marine Patrol and other partner agencies scavenged more than 456 square miles from Wednesday into Thursday looking for Cerezo.
The Coast Guard suspended the search just after 8 a.m. Thursday, but announced an hour later on Twitter it located Cerezo alive.
"It's incredibly fortunate we located him safe on land," said Ken Stuart, a command duty officer at Sector Northern New England.
"He absolutely did the right thing by researching the water temperature, recognizing the need to dress for the 49-degree water, and wear a lifejacket, all of which contributed to keeping him safe once things went wrong," Stuart said.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
