Two men missing since mid-March when they set out to reach the Canary Islands from Cádiz in a small private fishing boat are back on dry land after being found by the crew of a merchant vessel adrift around 160 miles south of Tenerife yesterday.

José Quevedo (61) from Arucas, who is the owner of the 'Saulo', and the captain, Cristo Herrera from Agaete, are said to be well even though their supplies of drinking water ran out eight days ago.

The two men were airlifted directly to the Doctor Negrín Hospital in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where they are recovering from their ordeal.

The 'Saulo', which suffered some kind of mechanical breakdown, is being towed to El Puerto de La Luz in Las Palmas.

The photo shows the two men looking fit and well as they arrived at hospital yesterday accompanied by the helicopter pilot.