Two young men, David and Daniel decided to take a toy dingy out to do some fishing one evening – it went wrong. They were found twelve hours later adrift, some nine nautical miles off Cabo Sacratif, Motril.

Panic was growing amongst family and friends in Barrio Varadero as the night rolled on with no sign of the two young men.

In the meantime, the sea was being combed in the darkness by the sea-rescue boat Hamal, The L-S Argos motor launch, Guardamar Caliope, as well as two Guardia Civil boats and one belonging to Customs. And with first light, the rescue helicopter Helimer 204 and the sea-rescue aircraft Sasemar 101.

When the men were found, both suffering from hypothermia, the Guardia Civil said that it was a miracle that they had survived in the risible dingy.

The reckless anglers had set off at 08.00h; i.e., after dark from Playa Poniente in the craft which only had oars for propulsion. Around 23.30h a friend of the two men to inform the police that the men had gone out fishing in a 2m-long zodiac and had not returned. The man had phoned when he had lost contact with them – neither of the two men carried phones and had communicated with the third man on shore by whistling.

(News: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)