Jet Ski Odyssey: Man Survives 48 Hours Lost at Sea

In a harrowing ordeal, a 23-year-old Spanish man named Layonel Ramírez Collado was rescued after spending two nights lost at sea on a jet ski off the coast of the Canary Islands.

On September 29, 2025, Layonel was on an evening boat trip with friends when he became separated from the vessel while retrieving a loose jet ski. He planned to drive the jet ski back to shore, but the vehicle broke down, and he was swept out to sea by strong winds and currents.

Layonel's friends alerted authorities that he was missing around 11 p.m. that night. After nearly 48 hours of searching by multiple local rescue agencies, Layonel was located alive on the jet ski about 11 miles off the coast by a Sasemar Maritime Rescue aircraft on October 1, 2025. Although dehydrated and with some body aches, he was otherwise unharmed.

Layonel's relieved mother, Natividad Collado, was there to greet him when he returned to shore, joined by several friends and family members. His grandfather, José Collado, said Layonel was in good spirits despite the harrowing ordeal, even encouraging his loved ones. "He's a warrior, a fighter," a friend of Layonel's remarked.