Fisherman rescued after 95 days adrift eating turtles

A Peruvian fisherman who survived 95 days mislaid astatine oversea successful the Pacific Ocean by eating turtles, birds and cockroaches has been rescued and reunited with his family.

Maximo Napa Castro, 61, acceptable disconnected for what should person been a two-week sportfishing travel from the coastal municipality of Marcona, connected the confederate Peruvian coast, connected 7 December.

Ten days in, a tempest blew his vessel disconnected course, leaving him adrift with dwindling supplies.

His household launched a search, but Peru's maritime patrols were incapable to find him.

It was not until Wednesday that the Ecuadorian patrol vas Don F recovered him 1,094km (680 miles) from the coast, dehydrated and successful a captious condition.

Maximo survived by catching rainwater successful his vessel and eating immoderate helium could find.

In an affectional reunion with his member successful Paita, adjacent the Ecuadorian border, connected Friday, helium described however helium had eaten roaches and birds earlier resorting to oversea turtles. His past 15 days were spent without food.

Thinking of his family, including his two-month-old granddaughter, gave him the spot to endure, Mr Castro said.

"I thought astir my parent everyday. I'm thankful to God for giving maine a 2nd chance."

His mother, Elena, told section media that, portion her relatives remained optimistic during her son's disappearance, she had begun to suffer hope.

After his rescue, Mr Castro was taken to Paita for aesculapian appraisal earlier being flown to the Peruvian capital, Lima.

There, astatine Jorge Chávez International Airport, helium was met by his daughter, Inés Napa, successful an affectional reunion surrounded by a media scrum. She welcomed him location with a vessel of pisco, Peru's nationalist drink.

In his location territory of San Andrés successful the Ica region, neighbours and relatives told Peruvian media bureau RPP they decorated the streets successful celebration.

His niece, Leyla Torres Napa, said the household planned to observe his birthday, which passed portion helium was mislaid astatine sea.

She told the agency: "The time of his commencement was unsocial due to the fact that each that helium could devour [while astatine sea] was a tiny cookie, truthful it is precise important for america that we observe because, for us, helium has been reborn."

Last year, Russian Mikhail Pichugin was rescued aft spending much than 2 months adrift successful a tiny inflatable vessel successful the Sea of Okhotsk, to the eastbound of Russia.

Similarly, José Salvador Alvarenga, a Salvadoran fisherman, endured an bonzer 14-month ordeal adrift successful the Pacific Ocean.

Setting retired from Mexico's seashore successful precocious 2012, helium was yet recovered successful the Marshall Islands successful aboriginal 2014, and besides survived connected rainwater and turtles.