QUITO (ECUADOR): In an extraordinary display of human resilience, Ecuadorian Navy rescued five fishermen from Peru and Colombia who had drifted in the Pacific Ocean for 55 days.
An Ecuadorian vessel spotted the men alive on May 7, after they had gone missing in mid-March.
The fishermen had departed from Pucusana, a coastal town in Peru, when their boat’s generator failed just two days into the journey. The malfunction disabled both communication systems and navigation tools, leaving the crew stranded without a way to call for help or steer the vessel.
To survive, the men caught fish, relied on rainwater, and, during dry spells, drank small amounts of seawater. “They didn’t have lights or any tools to fix the battery,” said a Navy spokesperson. “They had to manually remove seawater to keep the boat afloat.”
The rescued group – three Peruvians and two Colombians – now remain in stable condition. Ecuadorian authorities are coordinating with officials in Peru and Colombia to ensure the fishermen return home safely.
This dramatic rescue follows a similar incident earlier this year, when Ecuadorian fishermen saved 61-year-old Maximo Napa Castro from Peru after he spent 95 days lost at sea. He had survived by eating birds, insects, and turtles, and drinking rainwater.
These powerful stories showcase human determination and survival against the odds.