After surviving four days of floating on the Mediterranean Sea, a British woman who vanished after renting a boat in Spain was discovered alive.
Since the 39-year-old failed to return the 15-foot motorboat she had rented at the port of La Savina in Formentera on Wednesday evening, a significant search and rescue effort had been in progress.
Concerned by her disappearance, friends notified authorities when the Balearic Islands resident did not return after her outing.
Yesterday, June 22, at approximately 5 p.m., a boat between Ibiza and Valencia discovered the woman drifting in the Mediterranean.
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Since then, she has reportedly been sent to a Valencia hospital.
This morning, June 23, it was unclear how she was feeling.
The Civil Guard has confirmed that she was discovered alive, but they have not yet issued a statement.
The coast guard has transported her hired boat, a Quicksilver 475 Axess with a Mercury outboard motor, to Ibiza.
When it became known that the woman was gone, the locals identified her as Mary Gavin.
Her search involved the mobilisation of Spanish coastguard boats and helicopters, Civil Guard helicopters, and police divers.
Speaking this morning, a Civil Guard spokesman said, “The British woman who vanished after hiring a boat in Formentera on Tuesday morning has been found alive.”
The police force had said on Friday: “The missing woman is a 39-year-old British national who hired the boat in the port of La Salina in Formentera on Tuesday morning.”
“She was supposed to return it around 6pm on Wednesday and when she didn’t her friends became worried and raised the alarm.”
“From the time she was reported missing on Wednesday evening a search operation was launched which continued throughout the day yesterday.”
“She hasn’t been found yet nor has the boat she was on.”
“The Civil Guard’s Judicial Police unit has been investigating this woman’s disappearance but two vessels belonging to our Maritime Unit were mobilised yesterday along with one from the specialist sub-aquatic GEAS unit.”
“The officers from the Maritime Unit conduct the searches from speedboats and the GEAS are essentially diving specialists.”