A disabled vessel near Cay Sal, Bahamas, is shown on Aug. 18. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark rescued a man from the island. Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard

MIAMI — A 64-year-old man whose sailboat became disabled spent three days stranded on an island in the Bahamas before the U.S. Coast Guard spotted a flare he fired and rescued him, the Coast Guard said.

The crew of a Coast Guard Air Station Miami aircraft dropped food, water and a radio to communicate with the man, who told them about his ordeal, the agency said in a news release. The Coast Guard cutter Paul Clark rescued the man Friday on Cay Sal. He is in good health, the release said.

Aerial photos released Tuesday by the Coast Guard show that the man, whose name wasn’t released, had etched the letters “SOS” on the island’s sandy beach.

#UPDATE: Additional imagery from @USCG Air Station Miami @USCGAux & @CBPAMORegDirSE aircrews from Friday’s rescue of 64-year-old Dutch man stranded on Cay Sal, the Bahamas. The search and rescue mission was coordinated by Sector Key West watchstanders. @TheRBDF @USEmbassyNassau pic.twitter.com/X9oV5ziCC2

— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) August 22, 2023

“We’re proud to have saved this man’s life,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Dev Craig. “This case serves as a perfect example of why you must have the proper safety equipment on your vessel. Without seeing the flare, the case may not have had a successful outcome.”