In brief
Maximo Napa Castro, a 61-year-old fisherman, has emerged from a harrowing 95-day ordeal adrift in the Pacific Ocean, sustained only by eating turtles, birds, and cockroaches. After setting out for a brief fishing trip from Marcona on December 7, a violent storm disrupted his journey, leaving him stranded with inadequate provisions. His family’s desperate search yielded no results until a rescue by the Ecuadorian patrol vessel Don F, which discovered him 680 miles from shore, severely dehydrated.
Napa shared that he survived by capturing rainwater and scavenging for food, with his last 15 days devoid of nourishment. The thought of his family, including his newly born granddaughter, provided him the will to endure the unbearable conditions. Reunited at last with his brother in Paita, the emotional encounter left them overjoyed. After receiving medical attention, he was flown to Lima where an emotional reunion with his daughter awaited him, celebrated with the Peruvian spirit, pisco. As the neighborhood celebrated his return, family members planned a special event for his birthday, which coincided with his survival journey, making it a testament to his newfound life.This extraordinary survival story recalls similar rescues, including that of Russian fisherman Mikhail Pichugin in 2022 and José Salvador Alvarenga, who endured 14 months at sea.
