A man survived 67 days adrift at sea in a tiny inflatable boat, found by fishermen alongside his deceased brother and nephew.
A man has been found alive after spending 67 days adrift in a small inflatable boat.
His rescue happened in the Sea of Okhotsk, near Russia’s Far East. The man, Mikhail Pichugin, is 45 years old.
He was spotted by fishermen on a boat. They found him floating alone, alongside the bodies of his brother and nephew.
Family’s whale-watching trip turns into survival nightmare
Mikhail and his family had set off on a whale-watching trip.
They left on August 9 from the Shantar Islands. Their journey was supposed to take a few days. However, their engine failed.
Without power, the boat started to drift away. They ended up traveling over 600 miles from where they began.
The boat was only 15 feet long. It was not meant for long journeys far from shore.
Mikhail’s brother, Sergey, was 49 years old. His nephew, Ilya, was just 15. They all had warm clothes, life jackets, and some food.
They also brought 20 liters of drinking water. But the supplies quickly ran low.
After their engine broke, the family tried to signal for help.
Mikhail tied a small orange flag to the boat, hoping it would attract attention.
For weeks, they drifted without any sign of rescue. Russian authorities searched for them but found nothing.
After a month, they assumed that the family had perished in the sea.
Despite the odds, Mikhail survived his harrowing ordeal at sea. However, he lost a significant amount of weight, approximately 50 kilograms.
When he was found, he looked very weak, wrapped in blankets and wearing a life vest.
Fishermen unexpectedly found the man after 67 days lost
Mikhail was found about 14 miles from the village of Ust-Khairyuzovo.
He was discovered by the Angel fishing vessel, which was in the Kamchatka Peninsula area.
When the fishermen approached, he said, “Strength is low.” This showed how desperate his situation was.
They quickly threw him a rope and pulled him aboard.
Medical personnel then took Mikhail to receive care. Doctors reported that he was in satisfactory condition but needed time to recover.
Sadly, the news is not all good.
Mikhail’s brother and nephew did not survive, and it remains unclear when they passed away.
Authorities have yet to interview Mikhail about what happened on the boat. The loss of two family members has left Mikhail in a difficult situation.
Experts have expressed amazement at Mikhail’s survival.
Dmitry Lisitsyn, a local expert, described Mikhail’s survival as a miracle. He said the boat should have capsized during the storms.
“There are two real miracles here.⠀
“The first is that such a small, uncontrolled boat was not capsized in the stormy autumn Sea of Okhotsk after more than two months of drifting.
“I can’t wrap my head around how this is possible.
“The boat certainly went through several strong storms and remained afloat – this is something incredible.
“The second is that someone on this boat survived. The fact that two people died – a father and son – is very sad, but not surprising.
“But how the third person – their uncle and brother – could survive in the icy, stormy sea for more than two months is simply beyond comprehension. It truly is a miracle,” he explained.
He said: “For over 20 years, I have been travelling the Sea of Okhotsk on an inflatable motorboat, and I fully understand what this man went through.
“But I cannot understand how he managed to survive.”
While the man was rescued, he may face legal trouble.
The Russian authorities are investigating his trip. His small boat was not allowed to go more than two nautical miles from shore.
As a result, he could face charges. Prosecutors might pursue a case against him, which could mean jail time.