SOS signal seen from Miami U.S. Coast Guard aircrew on Cay Sal, where a man had been stranded for three days.

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man Friday after he had been stranded for three days on an uninhabited island south of Florida.

An auxiliarist aircrew out of the Miami Coast Guard station was patrolling the Florida straits when the crew spotted a boat firing flares near Cay Sal, an island that is part of the Bahamas but located between the Florida Keys and Cuba. They notified the USCG Key West Sector, according to the USCG news release.

After locating the man who was sending the flares, another USCG Miami aircrew dropped supplies including food, water and a radio. With the radio, the man told the crew he had been stranded on the island for three days after his sailboat was became inoperable.

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The USCG Cutter Paul Clark crew rescued the man from the island and transported him to Royal Bahamas Defence Force in good health.

The identity of the man has not been released. A spokesperson for the USCG Seventh District originally said he is a 64-year-old Bahamian man, but later confirmed that he is of German nationality.

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

A Miami U.S. Coast Guard auxiliarist aircrew captured this photo from Cay Sal, where a man was stranded for three days.

Scene where German man had been stranded for three days before the U.S. Coast Guard rescued him.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Man stranded on Cay Sal island near Bahamas rescued after 3 days