Fisherman missing for two weeks found alive off Washington coast

NEW DELHI: A mariner who had been missing at sea for several days off the

Washington coast

has been found alive, adrift in a life raft. His companion on the vessel however remains missing, as per reports in the New York Post.
The two mariners began their journey on October 12, departing on a 43-foot vessel known as the "Evening" from Westport, Washington.

Their anticipated return date was October 15, but their boat failed to make it back to shore which triggered a

search operation

.
Upon being alerted to the vessel's disappearance earlier this week, the Coast Guard embarked on the search effort, scouring a vast area spanning 14,000 square miles off the coast over eight hours. The search was then suspended on Wednesday due to a lack of leads.
Another vessel, acting as a

Good Samaritan

, discovered a life raft approximately 70 miles northwest of Cape Flattery a day after the suspension of rescue efforts. Inside the life raft was one of the missing mariners, who miraculously survived.

The vessel immediately contacted the Canadian Coast Guard, which airlifted the survivor to British Columbia for necessary medical attention.
The

Canadian rescuers

who found this fisherman shared that he managed to catch and consume a salmon to sustain himself during his time adrift.
Though the identity of the rescuers was not officially disclosed, a report by King-TV in Seattle identified them as Ryan Planes and his uncle John, hailing from Sooke, a town on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

According to the United States Coast Guard, the rescued mariner is now in stable condition.