A Peruvian fisherman who had been lost at sea for 95 days was rescued alive from the Pacific Ocean. Peru’s state-owned news agency, Andina, reported this on Saturday, March 15.
The fisherman, 61-year-old Máximo Napa Castro, set out to sea from the coastal town of Marcona on December 7 last year. However, due to stormy weather, he lost his way and destination.
After 95 days, on March 11, he was rescued from the northern Peruvian coastal waters by an Ecuadorian fishing boat. At the time of rescue, he was suffering from severe dehydration and was in poor condition.
Speaking to local media with a tearful voice, he said that to survive, he collected and drank rainwater on his boat. To satisfy his hunger, he ate insects, birds, and even a turtle.
According to Reuters, in the 15 days before his rescue, he had nothing to eat.
He also stated that he kept himself motivated by thinking of his family. “I told myself, I want to live for my mother; I don’t want to die. I have a granddaughter who is just a few months old. I thought about my mother every day,” he said.
After being rescued, he was taken to Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes Hospital near the Ecuadorian border. On Saturday, March 15, he was discharged from the hospital.