5 fishermen rescued at sea after 55 days adrift in Pacific Ocean
Five fishermen, three from Peru and two from Colombia, were rescued after being adrift in the Pacific Ocean for 55 days due to an alternator failure on their boat which incapacitated communication and navigation tools. Stranded at sea, they managed to survive by drinking rainwater and seawater, extracting rusted water from the engine, and catching fish to parboil for food. The Ecuadorian tuna boat Aldo discovered them on May 7, and they were brought to the San Cristobal Naval Base in the Galapagos Islands, where their condition was reported as stable. The Ecuadorian navy is coordinating with authorities to ensure their safe return to their home countries. This incident follows another recent case of a Peruvian fisherman surviving 95 days at sea, underscoring the perils faced by those in the fishing industry in the region.
Context:
Five fishermen, three from Peru and two from Colombia, were rescued after being adrift in the Pacific Ocean for 55 days due to an alternator failure on their boat which incapacitated communication and navigation tools. Stranded at sea, they managed to survive by drinking rainwater and seawater, extracting rusted water from the engine, and catching fish to parboil for food. The Ecuadorian tuna boat Aldo discovered them on May 7, and they were brought to the San Cristobal Naval Base in the Galapagos Islands, where their condition was reported as stable. The Ecuadorian navy is coordinating with authorities to ensure their safe return to their home countries. This incident follows another recent case of a Peruvian fisherman surviving 95 days at sea, underscoring the perils faced by those in the fishing industry in the region.
Dive Deeper:
The fishermen's ordeal began when their boat's alternator failed two days after departing from Pucusana Bay, near Lima, Peru, resulting in the loss of essential navigation and communication capabilities.
Survival tactics included drinking rain and seawater, using rusted engine water, and catching fish, which they parboiled, demonstrating their resourcefulness and resilience in dire circumstances.
Their rescue was conducted by the Ecuadorian tuna boat Aldo, which found them on May 7, nearly two months after they initially went missing in mid-March.
The Ecuadorian navy has taken steps to ensure the fishermen's health and is actively working with local and international authorities for their repatriation, reflecting coordinated international maritime rescue efforts.
Another recent incident involved a Peruvian fisherman surviving 95 days at sea, highlighting the extreme dangers and survival stories emerging from the Pacific Ocean.
The rescued fishermen were found wearing life jackets and are currently in a stable condition, indicating they were prepared for an emergency despite the initial equipment malfunction.
The case draws attention to the risks faced by fishermen in the Pacific, where mechanical failures can lead to life-threatening situations and prolonged periods adrift at sea.