Peruvian Fisherman Survives 95 Days Adrift In The Pacific Ocean

A fisherman from Peru who went missing for over three months in the Pacific Ocean has been rescued in a critical state. Maximo Napa Castro, aged 61, departed from Marcona, a coastal town in southern Peru, on December 7, for a two-week fishing trip.

However, ten days into the journey, a storm pushed his boat off course, leaving him stranded at sea with limited supplies.

As his food ran out, Napa survived by drinking rainwater and eating anything available- roaches, birds, and eventually sea turtles. His family launched a search operation, but Peru’s maritime patrols couldn’t locate him.

On Wednesday an Ecuadorian fishing patrol vessel, Don F, finally found him 1,094 kilometres (680 miles) from the coast. By then, he was severely dehydrated and in a fragile condition.

Napa reportedly told rescuers that he never gave up hope, thinking about his family, especially his two-month-old granddaughter, which gave him the strength to endure.

He spent the final 15 days before his rescue without any food. After being pulled from his drifting boat, he was immediately taken to Paita, a town near the Peru-Ecuador border, for urgent medical attention.

Video Credits: Daily Mail/YouTube

He was reunited with his brother in Paita, where he shared details of his ordeal. Local reports quoted him saying that he held on to thoughts of his loved ones even in the most challenging moments.

His mother, Elena Castro, expressed her deep relief upon seeing her son again. While her relatives remained hopeful, she had begun to lose faith as time passed.

Local media quoted her saying that she prayed to at least see him one last time, whether alive or dead, but her daughters continued to believe he would return.

After receiving medical treatment in Paita, Napa was transported to Lima. He was welcomed by his daughter, Ines Napa, at Jorge Chavez International Airport.

In a warm gesture, she greeted him with a bottle of pisco, Peru’s national drink, to celebrate his survival.

Neighbours and relatives decorated the streets in celebration of his return. Maximo’s niece, Leyla Torres Napa, said that the family was planning a delayed birthday celebration since Napa’s birthday had passed while he was lost at sea.

She described his survival as a rebirth, recalling that on his birthday, the only food he had was a single cookie.

In 2023, Russian sailor Mikhail Pichugin survived over two months adrift in the Sea of Okhotsk. Similarly, Salvadoran fisherman Jose Salvador Alvarenga spent 14 months drifting in the Pacific before being rescued in 2014.

Reference: Reuters

Source: Maritime Shipping News