2 boaters and their dog found safe after being stranded at sea

Two boaters and their dog were found alive Tuesday, 10 days after they’d last been heard from, the Coast Guard said.

Kevin Hyde, 65, and Joe Ditomasso, 76, had intended to sail from New Jersey to Florida. They were last heard from Dec. 3 as they left North Carolina, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

Their boat was out of fuel and had no power, which meant their radios didn’t work, but they were able to flag down the crew of the tanker Silver Muna around 214 miles off the coast of Delaware, the Coast Guard said.

“Hyde and Ditomasso gained the attention of the Silver Muna crew by waiving their arms and a flag,” the Coast Guard said.

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They had no immediate health concerns, it said.

The Coast Guard will take the pair and their dog to New York, the tanker’s next port of call, where they will be evaluated, it said.

“We are overjoyed with the outcome of the case and look forward to reuniting Mr. Hyde and Mr. Ditomasso with their family and friends,” Coast Guard Cmdr. Daniel Schrader said in the statement.

Schrader used the experience to highlight the importance of safety equipment, like an emergency position indicating radio beacon that allows boaters to contact first responders.

The Coast Guard, Navy, and others searched more than 21,164 square miles of water in all, the Coast Guard said.