Vietnamese sailor rescued after 19 hours adrift off Australian coast

The unidentified sailor was part of the crew on the cargo ship Double Delight, operated by a Singapore-based company and anchored off the coast of Newcastle, New South Wales. He was reported missing around 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 7.

Approximately 19 hours later, around 6:20 p.m. on Nov. 8, two local fishermen near Blacksmiths Beach spotted him drifting about 8 km from where he had fallen, according to 9News.

One of the fishermen, Glen Valaire, shared that his friend noticed the man and alerted him to someone in the water.

"It was just an absolute miracle that we came across this guy. He was freezing cold, had a weak pulse, and was super pale," Valaire told 9News.

The fishermen brought the sailor to shore, where medical personnel met them at Blacksmiths Beach to provide emergency care.

An NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said the sailor is in his 20s, and his young age likely "helped him quite a bit," according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Paramedics treated the man on the scene for suspected hypothermia and dehydration before transporting him to John Hunter Hospital, where he remains in serious but stable condition.

New South Wales Police have referred the incident to the Australian Border Force, which stated it "does not comment on individual matters."

The Double Delight, a 235-meter-long bulk carrier, departed from Japan's west coast on Oct. 19 and arrived in Newcastle on Saturday.