67-year-old shipwrecked sailor rescued during fire on US island

A 67-year-old man was rescued during fire, which authorities believe started after he used flares to call for help.
Coast Guard Air Station Ventura/Handout via REUTERS
A 67-year-old sailor was rescued by the United States Coast Guard after spending the night isolated on Santa Rosa Island as a large wildfire raged through the region.
The man was in a sailboat that crashed into rocks on the island, located in the Islands National Park of the Channel, on the southern coast of California.
According to the United States Coast Guard, the rescue took place on Friday morning (15), after teams located the sailor on the island and sent a rescue swimmer to remove him from the scene.
He was lifted by an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter at 10:38 am and taken safely to Camarillo Airport, where he received medical attention. The man was not injured.
While the rescue was carried out, teams were also monitoring a fire that had been reported on the island.
The causes of the fire are still being investigated, but the Coast Guard reported that the fire may have started after the sailor fired flares to call for help after the boat accident.
The fire started on Friday afternoon and has already destroyed more than 7 thousand hectares of vegetation - an area equivalent to almost 10 thousand football fields.
On Wednesday night (20), the fire was 44% controlled.
The flames reached a significant part of the southern region of the island and destroyed at least two historic structures. Officials said, however, that the South Point Lighthouse remains standing, despite being surrounded by fire at one point.
Santa Rosa Island is home to rare species of plants and animals and has remained isolated for thousands of years, which has helped preserve unique ecosystems, according to the U.S. National Park Service.
At least six species of plants exist exclusively on the island and nowhere else in the world.

Source: G1