The crew of a maritime excursion boat saved the lives of an American tourist couple, aged 59 and 55, who had rented a kayak and capsized a quarter of a mile offshore from Calp's Peñón de Ifach. The boat was on its usual route and, by chance, passed near where the two shipwrecked individuals were swimming with difficulty, making desperate signals.
The rescued individuals were brought aboard, given warm clothing, and transported to the port of Calp. There, paramedics from two ambulances, one Basic Life Support (BLS) and another from the Calp beach service, were waiting. The couple was suffering from hypothermia at the time of the rescue.
It was entirely providential that the maritime excursion boat passed near where the two tourists were staying afloat, but already numb with cold, after their kayak sank.
Kayaks are usually rented to go around the Peñón de Ifach, but in this case, the couple had drifted far from the coast. The kayak sank, creating a distressing situation. At this time of year, boat traffic is less than in summer. When they noticed a tourist boat approaching, they began waving their arms, considering it their "lifeline." They remained in the water for about 40 minutes.
