One man was rescued in Colombian waters after bobbing in the ocean for 24 days. Surviving on a potluck meal, tomato sauce.
Quoted from AFP, the man is from the Dominican Republic. His name, Elvis Francois (47).
He was rescued by the Colombian Navy this week. He inscribed a message reading ‘HELP’ on his hull.
His efforts paid off. He was found drifting in waters 120 nautical miles northwest of Puerto Bolivar, La Guajira.
“I didn’t have any food. There was only a bottle of tomato sauce on board, garlic powder and (bouillon cubes) Maggi. I mixed it with water to survive 24 years at sea,” said Francois in a video released by the Colombian Navy .
Francois said that he did not only try to ask for help once or twice. He always tried to give a signal requiring assistance to passing ships, including starting a fire. However, none of the ships saw him.
“In the last days, around January 15, I saw an airplane. I had a mirror. I made some signals,” he said, describing how he tilted the glass to catch the sunlight and attract attention.
“They (the plane-ed) passed by the ship twice, so I realized they saw me. I am grateful to be alive at this time because of them,” said Francois.
The crew of the flight notified the Colombian Navy. In the process, a rescue operation was carried out against Francois with the help of a commercial ship.
“For 24 days, no land. No one to talk to. Don’t know what to do. Don’t know where you are. It was difficult. There were moments I lost hope. I thought about my family,” said Francois.
Health condition okay
Video released by the Colombian Navy shows a doctor examining Francois, who appears to be in good health.
“It was very difficult. I don’t know how I am alive now, but I am alive. And I am grateful for that,” he said.
The Colombian Navy explained that Francois was working on repairing a sailing ship in a port off the coast of St Maarten Island in December 2022. However, suddenly the weather deteriorated and the ship was swept out to sea.
“Without any knowledge of navigation, he was lost and confused at sea. His attempts to maneuver the ship and the equipment on board were unsuccessful,” the Colombian Navy said in a statement.
Francois tries to make a call on his cell phone, but he gets no signal. After being rescued, Francois was handed over to immigration authorities to coordinate his return to his home country.
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