US tourist rescued after 16 hours adrift in Honduras

Tegucigalpa (Honduras), June 13: An 18-year-old US tourist has been rescued off the coast of Honduras after strong winds and currents pushed his kayak out to sea for a 16-hour ordeal.

Andy Lopez, regional chief of the Permanent Commission for Contingencies, said a US military helicopter lowered a rescuer to snag Aaron Rose of Orange, Texas on Thursday morning 18 miles off the coast of the popular Atlantic beach destination Roatan island.

He says Rose was hospitalised in good condition. Lopez says after nine hours the kayak flipped and Rose was tossed into the water where he remained clinging to the boat for another seven hours until a private plane spotted him. Rose was on a missionary trip in Roatan with his family.

AP