Man lost at sea for 12 hours recalls fight to survive: ‘I was ready to give up’

The man who fell off his jet ski and floated for 12 hours off the coast of Long Beach in the dark described his horrifying survival story in harrowing detail.

Paul Anthony Carbullido Jr., 53, said a wave swept him and his roommate off their jet skis Sunday evening as they were out on a sunset ride.

His roommate, Donna Durbay, was carried to the break wall, but Carbullido was nowhere to be found.

Carbullido had a life jacket on, but could not swim and was at the mercy of the sea.

“I was there all night, like just, just thinking of the worst,” he told NBC LA. “I didn’t know which direction to go because it was real dark, you know? And I was just paddling, paddling.”

Durbay described herself and Carbullido as inexperienced riders, saying she was unable to start her jet ski after finding her way back to it. She called the rental company and told them, “My friend tipped over on his. We can’t get him in, and now it’s completely dark out, and I can’t see anything.”

Durbay said she yelled for help and was rescued, but she couldn’t find Carbullido. She went to the hospital that night believing he was gone.

“I left the hospital, and I came home, and I just thought he was dead,” she said. “I was really, really scared.”

Authorities discovered an abandoned jet ski floating beyond the breakwater at approximately 1:15 a.m. Monday. A second jet ski was found about 30 minutes later.

Crews continued searching through the darkness and into the morning as concern mounted for the stranded rider. Then, around 10:30 a.m., the search finally produced a stunning breakthrough as a Coast Guard helicopter spotted Carbullido.

Miraculously, Coast Guard officials found the freezing and bruised man 2.5 miles off Seal Beach Pier. The helicopter lowered a rescue swimmer, who pulled Carbullido from the chilly water.

He said the realization of being rescued struck him hard.

“Oh, man, there was relief,” he said. “I was like, if there’s a God out there, there was relief. I can’t describe it. I was ready to give up.”

Carbullido is now recovering in the hospital from hypothermia.