A man stranded at sea for 438 days survived without food or water, revealing incredible survival strategies that left experts amazed.
Two men stranded at sea after a fierce storm
José Salvador Alvarenga, a Mexican fisherman, has an unbelievable story of survival.
In 2012, he set out on what was supposed to be a short two-day fishing trip with his friend, Ezequiel Córdoba.
Instead of returning home in a couple of days, Alvarenga ended up stranded at sea for an astonishing 438 days.
The adventure began in November when Alvarenga and Códroba left the coast of Mexico.
They hoped to catch a lot of fish, but things took a dangerous turn.
A fierce storm hit, damaging their boat and leaving them adrift in the vast Pacific Ocean.
With their engine gone, they had no way to navigate back to shore.
Man reveals incredible way that helped him survive 438 days lost at sea without food or water
To survive, the two men had to make tough decisions.
They threw overboard about 500 kilograms of fish and some of their equipment to keep the boat afloat.
All they had left was an icebox, which they used to collect rainwater and store the fish they caught.
Life on the boat was tough.
Alvarenga had to lean over the side of the boat to catch fish swimming by. Córdoba would gut the fish and dry the meat in the sun.
They relied on rainwater to drink, but their situation worsened when Córdoba fell seriously ill after eating a bird.
Alvarenga recounted the heartbreaking moment when Córdoba, feeling weak, told him, “I am dying, I am dying.”
Alvarenga tried to comfort him, but just moments later, his friend passed away.
This left Alvarenga alone on the boat, filled with grief and guilt. He felt responsible for inviting Córdoba on the trip.
In his loneliness, Alvagenga began to talk to Códroba’s body as a way to cope.
He would ask questions like, “How do you feel?” and “Did you sleep well?” He even stripped off some of Córdoba’s clothes to keep warm.
The emotional toll of losing his friend weighed heavily on him.
“First I washed his feet. His clothes were useful, so I stripped off a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt.
“I put that on – it was red, with little skull-and-crossbones – and then I dumped him in. And as I slid him into the water, I fainted.
“What could I do alone? Without anyone to speak with? “Why had he died and not me? I had invited him to fish. I blamed myself for his death.”
The man was finally found after being stranded for 438 days at sea with no food or water
After drifting about 6,700 miles, Alvarenga finally reached land.
In January 2014, he arrived at Ebon Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
Locals found him in a fragile state and provided help. They took care of him until he was strong enough to return home.
Alvarenga’s story is one of resilience and survival against all odds.
Living for over a year at sea with no fresh food or water is almost unimaginable.
His experience shows the strength of the human spirit and the will to survive, even in the most challenging conditions.