Adventurer survives two weeks at sea after being shipwrecked

An American adventurer in distress in the South Pacific has been rescued by an oil tanker just days after the search for him was abandoned at sea. According to French Polynesian authorities, Carotta was found in his lifeboat on Friday. He was in distress in the South Pacific after departing South America for a solo circumnavigation of the world in his rowing boat “Smiles”.

On May 31, Carotta sent a distress signal from the “Smiles”. After that, communication is broken. His rowboat was overturned by a wave, Carotta saved herself on his lifeboat. Five merchant ships and four pleasure craft participated in the search for the American adventurer. The search was finally called off on June 12.

After that, however, another distress signal from the “Smiles” was received. An American plane, which happened to be in the area on another search mission, eventually spotted Carotta’s boat east of the Marquesas Islands in a sea area where few ships sail.

The nearest ship, the oil tanker Baker Spirit, was 240 miles away. The tanker changed route, headed for the “Smiles” and was able to rescue Carotta 18 hours later. The “Baker Spirit” then heads back to Hawaii, where Carotta will make landfall in Honolulu on June 25.