The US coast guard rescued a Dutch man stranded on an uninhabited island in the Bahamas last week.

The man, who has not been named, was stuck on Cay Sal, between Florida and Cuba, after his sailing boat broke down. He had been there for three days when he was rescued.

The man, 64, had sent up flares to alert the emergency services, who dropped food, water and a radio. He had also written SOS in the sand.

“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,” the coast guard said on their website.  “Without seeing the flare, the case may not have had a successful outcome.”