Follow
A man who was missing for more than two months was rescued. From reports, 37-year-old Louis Jordan was on top of the overturned hull of his sail boat located roughly 200 miles off the coast of North Carolina. After being pulled to safety, Jordan said he prayed daily for rain water to drink, for energy, and for help.
Although no details regarding the location of where the boat capsized was released, a crew about a container ship with a German flag ultimately found Jordan sitting on the hull of his single-mast 35-foot boat late yesterday afternoon.
Amazingly, during his 66 days lost at sea, Jordan was somehow able to ration water and catch and eat fish. According to the US Coast Guard, he was dehydrated and had suffered a shoulder injury but when he arrived at the hospital, he walked in on his own accord. After being deemed in good condition, Jordan refused any medical treatment.
In a statement, Jordan said when he first saw the container ship he thought he was imagining things. According to the crew onboard the German ship, it was not until Jordan began flailing his arms that he was even noticed.
Jordan said at first, he waived his hands slowly, which is a standard distress signal but then he began to blow the three whistles he had although they were never heard. He even turned the American flag on his sailboat upside down and put it up, which is a sign of needing to be rescued.
As explained by Jordan, his 1950’s era boat was his home at a Conway, South Carolina Marina. Then in January, he decided to take it out into open water for a fishing expedition. As told by his mother, Norma Davis, her son set sail on January 23 but since that time, no one had heard from him.
Jordan’s father, Frank, was notified on January 29 that his son was missing, which prompted alerts from Miami to New Jersey for any other boaters to be on the lookout. Financial information was reviewed to see if perhaps he had come to shore somewhere else but nothing indicated he had.
Then on February 8, a formal search began by the Coast Guard but after 10 days it was called off. Even after that time, a few sailors had reported seeing the doomed sailboat but sightings could not be confirmed. It was also reported that Jordan had never filed what is referred to as a “float plan”, which provides information regarding destination or route in case of an emergency.
As imagined, everyone is beyond thrilled that not only was he found but found safe and in relatively good health. Doss stated that without knowing where her son was going it made it hard to know where to look. Jordan finally spoke with his father who was elated to hear his son’s voice.
Chief Petty Officer Ryan Doss with the Coast Guard said that details of where all Jordan went during that time is unclear or how he survived. What is known is that the sailboat capsized. Until they have the opportunity to talk to Jordan, they will not fully understand everything he endured. However, from Jordan’s own statements, he said he was able to drink about one pint of water daily and went for long periods of being thirsty.
