A fisherman from Peru has been found alive in the Pacific Ocean after spending 95 days lost at sea. Máximo Napa Castro, 61, set out from the coastal town of Marcona on Dec. 7, 2024, for a routine fishing trip. A skilled fisherman, he was accustomed to long days at sea. However, bad weather pushed his boat off course, leaving him stranded in the Pacific Ocean with no way to navigate back to shore.
On Tuesday, an Ecuadorian fishing boat spotted him drifting in waters near northern Peru. He was severely dehydrated and in critical condition when they rescued him.
In an interview with local media, Napa Castro described how he managed to stay alive. With no fresh water supply, he drank rainwater collected on the boat. He survived by eating insects, birds, and even a turtle.
As days turned into weeks, his food ran out. For the last 15 days before his rescue, he had nothing to eat. Despite the unbearable conditions, the thoughts of his family kept him going.
Castro said, “I didn’t want to die for my mother. He further added, “I had a granddaughter who is a few months old, I held on to her. Every day I thought of my mother.”
Surviving under these conditions was not only physically grueling but also mentally challenging. Alone in the open sea, he fought exhaustion, hunger, and the fear that no one would find him.
Back home, Napa Castro’s family and fellow fishermen never gave up hope. For three months, they searched tirelessly, fearing the worst but refusing to accept it.
On March 3, his daughter, Inés Napa Torres, expressed the family’s anguish in a Facebook post. “Every day is anguish for the whole family and I understand my grandmother’s pain because as a mother I understand her,” she wrote.
“We never thought we would go through this situation, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, we will not lose hope, Dad, of finding you.”
Their prayers were answered when news of his rescue reached them. Napa Torres later thanked the Ecuadorian fishermen who saved her father. “Thank you, Ecuadorian brothers, for rescuing my dad Gatón, God bless you,” she wrote.
Castro’s mother said, “I told the Lord, whether he’s alive or dead, just bring him back to me, even if it’s just to see him. But my daughters never lost faith.”
Following his rescue, Napa Castro was taken to Hospital Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes in Paita, near Peru’s border with Ecuador.
He received medical treatment for dehydration and malnutrition before being discharged on Saturday. His recovery continues, and his family remains by his side as he regains his strength.
