The Ecuadorian Navy reported that five fishermen, lost at sea for 55 days between mid-March and mid-April, were rescued last week. They survived primarily by drinking rain and seawater.
Three of the fishermen were from Peru, while the other two were from Colombia. They were found on May 7 by an Ecuadorian tuna boat named Aldo. According to the Navy, the fishermen had suffered damage to their boat’s alternator just two days after departing from Pucusana Bay, which is south of Lima, Peru.
Colonel Maria Fars, of the Ecuadorian naval frigate, mentioned that equipment failures can lead to breakdowns in communication and navigation systems.
“They were without starters, lights—everything the batteries were supposed to provide,” she said. To stay alive, they had to “extract rust-colored water from the engine when fish swam by, ensuring they could catch and eat something.”
In addition to catching fish, they drank rain and seawater for hydration.
It was 95 days before they were discovered alive in the ocean.
One of the rescued individuals stated he was in stable condition. The Navy worked alongside local and international authorities to facilitate their safe return to their home countries.
Earlier this year, another Peruvian fisherman similarly survived a 95-day ordeal at sea, relying on cockroaches, birds, and sea turtles for sustenance.
