A Peruvian fisherman who drifted into the Pacific Ocean and vanished nearly 95 days ago has been found alive.
On 7 December, Máximo Napa Castro set sail on a fishing trip from his southern Peruvian coastal town of Marcona, packing enough food to last him two weeks.
However, 10 days into his trip, severe weather pushed his boat off course, sending his boat drifting aimlessly into the vast Pacific Ocean.
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Days turned into weeks and Napa Castro ran out of his rationed supplies. The 61-year-old went 15 days without food before resorting to eating whatever he could find. “I ate roaches, birds, the last thing I ate was turtles,” he told Reuters. “I did not want to die.”
Napa Castro's family reported him missing when he didn't return home in due time. In response, Peru’s maritime patrols began scanning the waters for the missing fisherman for weeks - but no luck.
It wasn't until months later that an Ecuadorian fishing patrol spotted Napa Castro's boat drifting 680 miles from the country’s coastline.
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Severely dehydrated and in critical condition, the fisherman was rushed to Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes Hospital in Paita, Peru, for medical treatment on 11 March.
Later, he reflected on how much thoughts of his family - especially his mother and newborn granddaughter - kept him going whilst he was alone at sea.
“I said I didn’t want to die for my mother,” he recalled.
“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.”
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His mother, Elena Castro, had nearly lost hope, telling local media that she feared she'd never see 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.
But his sister refused to give up and helped keep the fisherman's mother optimistic whilst they anticipated an update.
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“My daughters never lost faith. They kept telling me: Mom, he’ll come back, he’ll come back,” she added.
Once the fisherman had returned to the shores alive, Napa Castro’s daughter, Inés Napa Torres, made a Facebook post, sharing her relief and thanking the Ecuadorian fishing patrol for their efforts.
“THANK YOU ECUADORIAN BROTHERS FOR RESCUING MY DAD GOD BLESS YOU,” she wrote on 15 March. “ESPECIALLY THE PILOT WILSON.”
Napa Castro was discharged from the hospital on Saturday, CNN reported.