Salvamento Marítimo (sea rescue) were called out on Thursday to pick up a windsurfer whose mast/sail had broken – he was half a nautical mile out.

The emergency number 112 was alerted to the problem by a beachgoer who saw that he was in difficulty and slowly drifting further and further out.

The emergency centre contacted Salvamento Marítimo who sent out their rescue launch Salvamar Hamal and the air-sea-rescue helicopter Helimer 207. The municipal police and ambulance service were also alerted and told to standby at Motril Port.

The rescue launch located him at 19.00h with the sea state worsening. He was picked up and taken to the port, where his condition was said to be good, although a little seasick.

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