A 30-year-old Russian citizen who attempted to sail solo from Sweden to Spain in a sailboat he bought in Stockholm has been rescued after a major search operation discovered a message written in moss.
The man, who has not yet been identified publicly, was reported missing Wednesday, after family and friends lost contact with him two days into his voyage, reports The Local Sweden. Sweden’s Coast Guard launched an immediate search and rescue operation involving boats and helicopters in coordination with the Maritime Administration, the Swedish Sea Rescue Society and a number of civilian volunteers.
Hopes of finding the stricken sailor dimmed Friday when search teams located the wrecked boat off the southeast coast of Sweden. They quickly established that the man had been stranded since Wednesday, reducing the likelihood that he would be found alive.
READ MORE: Russian chopper with 8 on board goes down near Arctic Norway archipelago
Before all hope was lost entirely, however, rescuers flying in a helicopter above the Östergötland archipelago spotted a man on a small island next to the word ‘Help’ written in large letters with moss he had collected. The sailor was quickly taken to hospital in Linköping and is reportedly in good condition.
