THEBES, IL. (WJPF) — A man who fell out of his boat into the Mississippi River near Thebes is alive thanks to a Good Samaritan and Conservation Police Officer.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, the authorities received a call around noon Saturday reporting that a hunter had heard someone calling for help along the river about three miles south of Thebes.

While investigating, Conservation Officer Steve Vasicek determined the calls were coming from an island in the river.

The man was soon rescued from the island. Authorities say he fell out of the boat about five hours earlier and swam to the island, where he yelled for help for several hours.