The Coast Guard has rescued a Conway man who was found Thursday on a disabled sailing vessel approximately 200 miles off the North Carolina coast.
The boater, Louis Jordan, age 37, was last seen with his sailboat named Angel docked at the Bucksport Marina near Conway in late January, according to Coast Guard officials.
Jordan survived survived by drinking rain water and eating raw fish, officials said.
Conway boater missing for 66 days prayed for rain, survival
On Thursday evening, Jordan was seen walking into a hospital in Norfolk after a helicopter plucked him off another ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
Jordan and his disabled 35-foot sailing boat were spotted by a German ship on Thursday, the Coast Guard said.
Jordan is suffering from a shoulder injury that required immediate medial attention, WAVY-TV reported. Hospital spokesman Dale Gauding confirmed that Jordan is in good condition.
Louis’ dad, Frank Jordan, posted the good news about his son’s discovery on Facebook Thursday afternoon.
Just last month, Frank Jordan of Conway prayed about his son, who had been missing for more than 6 weeks at that point.
“You don’t know whether to mourn or what. When they’re lost at sea, only God knows where they are. But by God, He does. Louis is in His loving hands, and that is enough to know. Thanks for all the messages of concern, a living, moving tribute to his sweet and gentle soul,” dad Frank Jordan wrote on March 10.
“I also pray that my son Louis Gregory Jordan will be found alive and if not, that he will continue his spiritual journey with joy and radiance,” Jordan also wrote on Facebook.
The rescue started Thursday when the Coast Guard 5th District Command Center in Portsmouth received notification from the 1085-foot, German-flagged motor vessel Houston Express at approximately 1:30 p.m., indicating they spotted a man and the vessel approximately 200 miles east of Cape Hatteras.
The German ship, Houston Express, took Jordan aboard.
A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew launched from Air Station Elizabeth City, NC, at approximately 3:40 p.m.
The helicopter met the Houston Express, hoisted Jordan and flew him to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, arriving around 7:20 pm.
Jordan and the sailing vessel Angel, were initially reported missing by his family to the Coast Guard Jan. 29.
The Coast Guard will conduct a debrief with Jordan.
