Five fishermen survived for 55 days by drinking rainwater and extinguishing passing fish, reaching the Galapagos Islands
The Ecuadorian Navy said on X that five fishermen flew around the sea for 55 days and arrived at a port in the Galapagos Islands on Saturday after being rescued by tuna on Saturday.
The three Peruvians and two Colombians have been missing since mid-March and were discovered on May 7 by an Ecuadorian ship named Aldo.
In another post on Friday, the Navy said fishermen reported losses to the ship's alternator two days after setting sail from Pucusana Bay.
Ecuadorian naval frigate captain Maria Fares told the Associated Press that the failure caused the communication and navigation tools to malfunction.
“They don't have the starter, the lights and everything the battery produces,” she said. In order to survive, they had to “take off the rusty water from the engine (when a fish passes by), they grabbed it and boiled it.” The fare added that they also drank rainwater and seawater to survive.
The photo of the government handout shows five boat-building fishermen wearing life jackets who were rescued by an Ecuadorian tuna fishing boat after more than 50 days of wandering at the San Cristobal Naval Base in the Galapagos Islands.
The people are in a stable condition, and the Navy said it is coordinating with local and foreign authorities to ensure they return to their respective countries safely.
Earlier this year, another Peruvian fisherman, Máximo Napa, 61, spent 95 days alone at sea. He was also rescued by Ecuadorian ships and returned to Lima in mid-March to reunite with his family.
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