A fisherman has been miraculously discovered alive after surviving 95 harrowing days lost at sea. Stranded without food, he endured by relying on insects, birds, and sea turtles to sustain himself, according to Reuters.
Videos by Suggest
On December 7, Máximo Napa Castro embarked on a fishing expedition from his coastal hometown of Marcona in southern Peru, carrying provisions to sustain him for two weeks. Just 10 days into his journey, the 61-year-old fisherman was caught in severe weather, leaving his boat drifting in the Pacific Ocean.
When Napa Castro failed to return home, his family reported him missing. For weeks, Peru’s maritime patrols scoured the waters in search of the missing fisherman, but their efforts yielded no results.
Months later, an Ecuadorian fishing patrol discovered his boat adrift, 680 miles off the country’s coastline.
On March 11, Napa Castro was discovered by the crew in a severely dehydrated and critical state. Stranded at sea, the fisherman survived by collecting rainwater and rationing his remaining food supplies. After enduring 15 days without eating, he was forced to take extreme measures to stay alive.
“I ate roaches, birds, the last thing I ate was turtles,” he recalled to Reuters. “I did not want to die.”
Napa Castro said that thinking about his family kept him going while he struggled to survive alone at sea with very few resources.
“I said I didn’t want to die for my mother,” he admitted.
He reflected daily on his mother and his newborn granddaughter while awaiting rescue at sea.
“I had a granddaughter who is a few months old, I held on to her,” he explained. “I’m thankful to God for giving me a second chance.”
The Fisherman’s Mother Nearly Gave Up Hope For His Rescue
While he fought for his life, his mother, Elena Castro, admitted to local media that she had begun to lose hope of ever seeing her son again.
“I told the Lord, whether he’s alive or dead, just bring him back to me, even if it’s just to see him,” his mother told TV Peru, per Reuters
Elena Castro credited her daughters for keeping her hopeful during the harrowing time her son was missing. Their support helped her push past the fear that she might never see him again.
“But my daughters never lost faith. They kept telling me: Mom, he’ll come back, he’ll come back,” she recalled.
Following his rescue, the fisherman was transported to Hospital Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes in Paita for medical evaluation, according to a CNN report. After receiving care, he was discharged on Saturday.