Fisherman found off Delimara

Fisherman Paul Gauci was rescued from the sea yesterday, sounding well though it was more than 60 hours after his boat engine gave up on him.

He had just two bottles of water and one loaf of Maltese bread when he set out on Monday, and an intensive search had been going on for him, coordinated by the Armed Forces of Malta.

Mr Gauci's 16-foot kajjik was spotted by an American helicopter 60 miles east of Delimara, nearly 60 hours after his wife alerted the authorities that he had failed to report home.

He was located at 1 p.m. by a US Navy Orion P3 deployed from Sigonella Naval base, after a new computation of a search area was drawn up by the AFM acting on new information.

Mr Gauci, 55, of St Paul's Bay, was found to be in good health and was dispatched to St Luke's Hospital on an Italian Military Mission AB 212 helicopter.

A spokesman for the Armed Forces said it appeared that the boat lost the service of its only engine early in the trip and realising what lay ahead, the fisherman rationed his supplies. The boat's tarpaulin cover will have played a big role in his survival, giving him shade from the merciless sun.

Just one hour before he was spotted, Mr Gauci's son, James, had told The Times that the family were still keeping their fingers crossed that he would be found alive.

"We are still praying for that phonecall to inform us he's been found OK," he said in the morning.

A keen fisherman, though it was not his full-time job, Mr Gauci always kept enough water and food supplies to last him a couple of days, according to his son.

Mr Gauci's boat is equipped with VHF radio, but this was found at his home, with his mobile phone, after the search for him started.

Some 55 hours of maritime and air searches were involved in the search and rescue operation.

A fixed wing aircraft from the Italian Coast Guard and a fixed wing SAR aircraft were deployed for three sorties on two separate days.

An Alouette helicopter and an Islander fixed wing aircraft from the AFM Air Squadron conducted five sorties during this operation, while the SAR launch, the Protector Class Patrol Boat and inshore patrol boat performed another five sorties.

A person yesterday informed the AFM that he had seen the boat on Monday some 11 km off Ghadira Bay.

The areas initially searched after Mr Gauci went missing were still based on the assumption that he had gone fishing to the north west of Gozo, as he usually does.

A fresh computation of the search area was then determined by the AFM which resulted in the positive search.

The assistance given by the US Navy Orion P3 proved to be crucial at the later stages of the operation owing to its superior capabilities, mainly its endurance and search equipment.

It was in fact this aircraft which located the disabled boat. Mr Gauci was spotted on board signalling for assistance, as an AB 212 manned by an Italo-Maltese crew was immediately dispatched to the scene.

He was winched on board the aircraft and flown to hospital where after a short time he wanted to discharge himself, feeling none the worse for his ordeal. But the hospital authorities persuaded him to stay overnight.

The AFM reminded seafarers that it was of paramount importance that proper communications equipment such as VHF marine radio, pyrotechnics, extra rations especially water, and life saving equipment such as life jackets or a life raft are always on board if proceeding offshore.