Stranded on deserted island, they lived on coconuts for 33 days, Coast Guard says

By BROOKE BAITINGER and EILEEN KELLEY
SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL | FEB 10, 2021 AT 8:25 AM

Two men and a woman were rescued from a deserted island on Tuesday after surviving on coconuts, conch and rats for 33 days, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard spotted people waving makeshift flags on Monday as it was on a routine air patrol of the waters around Anguilla Cay, in a chain of islands between the Lower Keys and Cuba.

“We were alerted to them by the flags that they actually had in addition to a large cross that they put out there for themselves,” Aircraft Commander Mike Allert told WPLG-Ch. 10.

The Coast Guard picked up the case as a rescue mission and returned to drop water, food and a radio to them on Monday. The rescue was delayed 24 hours due to bad weather, Allert said.

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#BreakingNews
@USCG
is assisting 3 people who have reportedly been stranded on Anguilla Cay, Bahamas for 33 days. An Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew has dropped a radio, food and water. More to follow.
#D7 #Ready #Relevant #Responsive #searchandrescue #USCG

Link to tweet

The Coast Guard said the trio was from Cuba. They told the helicopter crew their boat capsized in rough waters nearly five weeks earlier, and they were able to swim to the deserted island. .... It was not immediately clear if they were migrants trying to make it to the U.S. or another country, or if they were fishermen lost at sea, said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Brandon Murray.

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This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.

Brooke Baitinger can be reached at: bbaitinger@sunsentinel.com, 954-422-0857 or Twitter: @bybbaitinger

Eileen Kelley can be reached at 772-925-9193 or ekelley@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Twitter @reporterkell.