Three Cuban nationals were rescued by the US Coast Guard Tuesday after being stranded in a deserted Bahamian island for nearly five weeks, authorities said.
The trio, two men and a women, survived their 33-day ordeal on Anguilla Cay — which is between Key West and Cuba — by eating coconuts, The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported, citing the Coast Guard.
“I cannot recall a time that we saved people who were stranded for over a month on an island,” Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Brandon Murray told reporters Tuesday.
The group was first spotted waving a flag on the island Monday by members of the Coast Guard on routine patrol, the newspaper reported.
Later in the day, the Coast Guard delivered water, food and a radio, before returning in a helicopter Tuesday to rescue them.
The group was taken to Lower Keys Medical Center in good condition, authorities said.
They told their rescuers they swam to the island after their boat capsized.