Torrevieja lifeguards have rescued a German man after his competition sailing boat was left drifting during Wednesday’s storm. An orange weather warning for heavy rain and strong winds was in force when a resident of Ferrís contacted the emergency services shortly after 5pm.
Lifeguards reached the boat by personal watercraft and found the man, who is almost 60, in serious difficulty. He had been struggling for around two hours after the boat’s mast broke.
The lifeguards could not bring the boat directly ashore because the southern coastline is rocky. Instead, they towed it towards Cala Piteras, less than two kilometres away, where there is a lifeguard station.
One lifeguard then swam out to guide the boat and its occupant to the beach. Local Police officers and an ambulance were waiting, but the man did not need medical treatment. The rescue attracted attention from residents and onlookers despite the poor weather.
This article was written with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor before publication.