Peruvian Fisherman Rescued After 95 Days Lost at Sea

A Peruvian fisherman, Maximo Napa Castro, has been rescued and reunited with his family after spending 95 days lost at sea in the Pacific Ocean. Castro survived his ordeal by eating cockroaches, birds, and sea turtles and catching rainwater in his boat.

Castro, 61, set off for what should have been a two-week fishing trip from the coastal town of Marcona, on the southern Peruvian coast, on 7 December. However, a storm blew his yacht off course ten days in, leaving him adrift with dwindling supplies.

He was eventually rescued by a passing Ecuadorian patrol vessel, Don F, 1,094km (680 miles) from the coast.

The emotional reunion with his brother in Paita, near the Ecuadorian border, was captured by awaiting media.

According to reports from the BBC, Castro spent his last 15 days without food. Despite the challenges, he credits thoughts of his family, including his young granddaughter, for motivating him to survive at sea.

“I said I didn’t want to die for my mother,” Castro said. “I had a granddaughter who is a few months old, I held on to her. I’m thankful to God for giving me a second chance.”

His mother, Elena Castro, expressed her relief at his safe return, as she had started to lose hope of ever seeing her son again.

After being assessed by medics, Castro was flown to Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport, where he was met by his daughter, Inés Napa, in an emotional reunion. The streets of his home district in San Andrés, Ica region, were decorated in celebration.

Castro’s reunion with his mother was also shared on social media.

Last year, a Russian man named Mikhail Pichugin survived after being adrift in an inflatable boat for 67 days in the icy waters of the Sea of Okhotsk. Similarly, José Salvador Alvarenga, a Salvadoran fisherman, endured an extraordinary 14-month ordeal adrift in the Pacific Ocean.