MIAMI (AP) — Authorities say four fishermen spent five days stranded off the Bahamas without food or water before being rescued.
U.S. Coast Guard officials say two fishing skiffs did not return to a larger fishing vessel from the Bahamas as scheduled Saturday morning. The Royal Bahamian Defence Force searched for the missing boats before requesting the Coast Guard's help Tuesday afternoon.
A civilian aircraft spotted the stranded boats Wednesday about 50 miles south of Andros Island, Bahamas. Coast Guard aircraft dropped the fishermen food and a radio before transferring them to Nassau.
Petty Officer Nick Ameen said Thursday that the four Bahamian fishermen had been diving for lobster when their skiffs ran out of fuel Saturday. Ameen says the men were dehydrated and hungry but in good spirits when they were rescued.
