Overview

• A 37-year-old man was found drifting about 24 kilometers off Marbella on July 16 after setting out on a wooden pallet with a child’s float, flippers and a neoprene suit.
• An Andalusian family heading to the Balearic Islands spotted the exhausted swimmer, offered water and blankets and alerted Salvamento Marítimo.
• A Guardia Civil vessel intercepted the sailboat near Estepona, transferred the migrant to Málaga port and handed him to the Red Cross for hypothermia treatment.
• Officials report he remains in stable condition and is now under Guardia Civil supervision while investigators work to confirm his nationality.
• Safety experts highlight the extreme risks of improvised crossings and note that authorities have stepped up patrols throughout the Strait.