Erica Vicente: Paddleboarder, 17, rescued 30 miles out to sea 21 hours after she went missing
MONTE GORDO, PORTUGAL: About 21 hours after going missing from an Algarve beach, a teenager was found on a paddleboard approximately 30 miles from the shore. Erica Vicente, 17, narrowly escaped death when she was spotted by a container ship that was waiting for authorization to dock in Tangier, Morocco. She was enjoying the final day of her vacation on a beach in Monte Gordo, close to Portugal's southern border with Spain, when a gust of wind carried her out to sea, prompting a large rescue mission to locate her.
She ran into trouble around 8 pm on Saturday and was rescued at 5.30 pm yesterday after receiving assistance from MSC Reef. She was conscious but hypothermic. She was approximately 29 land miles or 25 nautical miles from the shore at the time. Her safe and sound whereabouts were reported to Portuguese authorities by the crew of the ship, which was flagged by Liberia.
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Daughter had been 'born again'
Her father reportedly informed authorities that he felt as though his daughter had been "born again" and that she might be released from the hospital in 24 to 48 hours. Today, Portugal's National Maritime Authority acknowledged the rescue, as reported by Surfer Today. A statement was released that reads, "The 17-year-old girl who had been missing at sea since April 15 was found alive after having entered the water with a stand-up paddle board and being unable to paddle back to land at Coelho beach in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António."
The statement added, "Following an alert received by a merchant ship, informing they had found the missing girl, 25 nautical miles south of Vila Real de Santo António, a vessel from the Local Command of the Maritime Police of Vila Real de Santo António and the Portuguese Navy ship NRP Orion were immediately sent to the scene," as reported by Daily Mail.
'The young woman had severe hypothermia'
The statement, in the end, added, "The young woman had severe hypothermia, and the support of the Portuguese Air Force aircraft was requested so she could be transported her to Faro airport where an ambulance was waiting." A video of Vicente, also known as Kika, being transferred onto a stretcher so that she could be assisted off MSC Reef, was made public by the Portuguese Air Force. According to a spokesman, she may be discharged from the hospital where she was taken within the next 24 hours.
'She's a heroine, without a doubt'
Horacio Guerreiro, the hospital where Vicente was admitted, released the statement that reads, "She's endured a lot of time without food or water, exposed to the sun and in a situation of street, but she's okay, she's stable.It takes a survival instinct to come through situations like this. She's a heroine, without a doubt."
Elsa Rocha, the doctor who conducted the medical team that has been assisting Vicente, said, "She's a real fighter. She arrived at the hospital exhausted and a little confused, but that's normal after 20 hours at sea on a paddle board. When she arrived at the hospital, she was no longer either dehydrated or suffering from hypothermia." In the end, she adds, "This shows just how amazing human beings can be."
The teenager at the center of this incredible rescue is from Azeitao, which is located near Setubal, an hour's drive south of Lisbon. She was floating out to sea when her father jumped into the ocean to try to save her, according to the local police chief, but he was unsuccessful in bringing her back to shore. Prior to the discovery, searches were conducted in Portugal and along the southern Spanish coast, according to reports.