A California man who can’t swim revealed how he survived being lost at sea for 12 hours after he was knocked off his jet ski.

Paul Anthony Carbullido Jr, 53, was swept into the pitch-black water off Long Beach on Sunday evening.

He and his roommate, Donna Durbay, were out on a sunset ride when a huge wave slammed into them, knocking them from their jet skis.

Durbay was swept into a break wall, but Carbullido was separated and drifted out to sea.

Carbullido told NBC Los Angeles: ‘I was there all night, like just, just thinking of the worst. I didn’t know which direction to go because it was real dark. And I was just paddling, paddling.’

He described it as a miracle he survived as he plunged into the water with nothing but thin clothing and a life jacket.

Carbullido was last seen in the ocean around 7pm near the Queens Gate Entrance Channel but it was not until 10.30am on Monday that the Coast Guard was able to rescue him.

‘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.’

Paul Anthony Carbullido Jr, 53, remains hospitalized after surviving 12 hours lost at sea off the Long Beach Coast 

He was rescued by a US Coast Guard in a helicopter near the Queens Gate Entrance Channel

Carbullido was knocked off his jet ski and spent more than 12 hours floating in the sea 

Durbay revealed she and Carbullido were inexperienced in riding jet skis. 

After they were separated, she was unable to start her vehicle and was left stranded. 

She told reporters: ‘I phoned the place where we rented them and I 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 began yelling for help and wasn’t rescued by lifeguards until five hours later when fisherman heard the noise. 

A Good Samaritan called 911 to report that they heard ‘a woman yelling for help from the Long Beach Breakwater.’

Durbay was transported to the hospital in a stable condition and later released. 

After a large search effort, the US Coast Guard and Long Beach Police Department sent a rescue swimmer by helicopter to pull Carbullido from the water.

Dramatic footage showed the moment the shivering jet skier was winched to safety aboard a stretcher. 

Luckily he was wearing a life jacket and his roomate who was with him on the jet ski ride was able to raise the alarm to send out the Coast Guard

He was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with hypothermia

He was taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed with hypothermia. 

Durbay revealed her thoughts initially turned to the worst possible outcome.

She said: ‘I left the hospital, and I came home, and I just thought he was dead. I was really, really scared.’

Thankfully, Carbullido is now recovering in stable condition.