Today I came across a news story about a sailor who was in the news and whose "missing at sea" was discussed in threads here on this forum in December 2014.
What follows is posted here in order to help others in the future and to emphasize suggestion that when one is sailing or
boating offshore, it is smart to prepare and have or do or use:
1.
EPIRB
2. Waterproof
VHF
3. Wear a
PFD
4. File a Float Plan or Tell
Family or Friends your plans
This is not disrespect for the man, it is about respect for the sea. 
________________________
The noteworthy aspects of the case was that the sailor had been "missing at sea" for 12 days off the Hawaiian islands and had been found and rescued.
"But his boat, Malia, began taking on water, and Ingraham made a distress call for help, saying his vessel was in danger of sinking, according to the Coast Guard.
That initial distress call and a second one later in the day prompted a massive search that involved helicopters and planes and covered 12,000 square miles. But nothing turned up.
A few days later, on Dec. 1, the Coast Guard called off the search."
In brief, (as I recall) his story was that he went out sailing on his
small boat (25 foot)on Thanksgiving day and a "rogue wave" hit the
boat, knocked him into the
water, disabled the
engine AND sail.
So, he drifted for days, with little to drink or eat. No
EPIRB. While his
radio worked for a while, and he did get off a MAYDAY call to the USCG, it failed later and prevented him from contacting them until the very last day, when he made contact and was found.
Following his rescue, Ingraham told ABC News that he was knocked into the water when a rogue wave hit his boat. “But I had a rope so I towed myself in,” he told the network. He also told ABC that he’d survived on fish.
Marine miracle: Sailor lost at sea for 12 days rescued off coast of Hawaii - The Washington Post
He was luckily spotted and rescued. He was about 60 miles south of the island at the time and drifting further away.
So, a good sea story, with a good ending.
At the time, the forum discussions focused on the thing missing from his boat that could have had him rescued in hours: an EPIRB.
He was lucky to be found and rescued.
______________
But…the story of this man does not end there.
Unfortunately, as the April 2015 news article (link below) mentioned, he was again "lost at sea" and this time due to being on a double handed
fishing boat that wrecked on a reef while returning to one of the islands. This time, the boat was smashed to bits on the rocks, and the two crew went into the water without any PFDs.
This man's friend survived by clinging to pieces of wreckage, and attempted to recover this boats "emergency
radio."
"Ingraham had been aboard the Munchkin, a 34-foot-fishing vessel owned by his friend, Kenny Corder. The boat smashed into pieces just after midnight on Friday, about one mile from Lanai, Hawaii, according to the Coast Guard. No one aboard was wearing life jackets, Corder told authorities.
Corder, who saw Ingraham clinging to a life ring, swam back to the boat to get an emergency radio and make a Mayday call. Ingraham was gone when Corder returned."
Unfortunately, this sailor/boater disappeared beneath the water. No
PFD.
So, a sad ending.
Lost sailor miraculously found alive is now missing again - The Washington Post
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