Peruvian fisherman's 95‑day ordeal: Tale of survival at sea
Peruvian media have been captivated by the story of a 61-year-old fisherman who drifted on his boat in the Pacific Ocean for three months. The man set out in December to fish. During the expedition, the weather deteriorated, causing the boat to veer off course.
Sixty-one-year-old Maximo Napa Castro embarked on the ill-fated fishing trip on 7 December from Marcona, a coastal town in southern Peru.
On 11 March, his boat was spotted by other fishermen off the northern coasts of the country. The man was severely dehydrated and in a critical condition. He was transferred to a Peruvian Navy ship.
After regaining his strength, in a tearful interview with local media, Castro said that he managed to survive by drinking rainwater he collected on the boat and eating insects, birds, and a turtle. There were times when he went many days without eating anything.
A miracle on the ocean: Fisherman spent 95 days on the boat
He added that the thought of his family waiting for him kept him going. "I did not want to die. I thought about my mother everyday. I'm thankful to God for giving me a second chance," he confessed.
The 61-year-old is not in any danger now.
