Five fishermen, adrift for more than 50 days, were rescued by an Ecuadorian tuna fishing boat and arrived safely at the San Cristobal Naval Base in the Galapagos Islands on May 10. The delegation is composed of three Peruvians and two Colombians. They disappeared in mid-March after their small boat suffered catastrophic mechanical failures soon after departing Pucusana Bay.
The fishermen’s ordeal began when their boat’s alternator broke down only two days into the voyage. This failure decimated their communication and navigation tools, making them dangerously exposed at sea. When at sea, operating without electrical power created tremendous hardships. Maria Fares, a family member of one of the fishermen, described their difficult circumstances:
“They had no starter, lights and everything that a battery generates.” – Maria Fares
The five men were able to stay alive by drinking rainwater and cooking the fish they caught while drifting. Fares explained their survival tactics further:
“They had to take rusted water out of the engine (and) when a fish passed by, they caught it and parboiled it to eat.” – Maria Fares
It took until May 7 for an Ecuadorian fishing vessel, the Aldo, to find the group’s survivors. Upon their finding, the Ecuadorian navy mobilized immediately. Involved stakeholders across the board from local to international authorities to make sure everyone got back home safely to their home countries. On arrival to the naval base, stabilization of the fishermen had made them all stable. Medical teams were led by their vital signs.
Thank you to the Ecuadorian navy for deploying support and assisting in this challenging rescue operation. Their work was critical in getting these fishermen home to their families after their terrifying journey at sea. The navy has a long and proud tradition of saving lives in danger. Earlier this year, they undertook an extraordinary mission to rescue 61-year-old Peruvian fisherman Máximo Napa. Napa spent 95 days solo at sea and was similarly rescued by an Ecuadorian ship.
