Peruvian Fisherman Survives 95 Days Adrift in the Pacific Ocean
A Peruvian fisherman who vanished at sea nearly 95 days ago has been found alive after drifting thousands of miles into the vast Pacific Ocean.
On December 7, Máximo Napa Castro set sail from his coastal hometown of Marcona, Peru, packing enough supplies for a two-week fishing trip. However, just 10 days in, severe weather pushed his boat off course, leaving him stranded in open waters with no way to return.
As days turned into weeks, Napa Castro exhausted his rations and went 15 days without food before resorting to eating whatever he could find. “I ate roaches, birds, the last thing I ate was turtles,” he told Reuters. “I didn’t want to die.”
Rescue After Nearly Three Months
His family reported him missing when he failed to return, prompting an extensive search operation by Peru’s maritime patrols, but after weeks of scouring the ocean, they found no trace of his boat.
It wasn’t until months later that an Ecuadorian fishing patrol spotted his vessel drifting 680 miles off Ecuador’s coastline. Severely dehydrated and weak, the 61-year-old was immediately rushed to Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes Hospital in Paita, Peru, for urgent medical treatment on March 11.
Surviving for His Family
Throughout his ordeal, thoughts of his loved ones kept him going, especially his mother and newborn granddaughter.
“I said I didn’t want to die for my mother,” he recalled. “I had a granddaughter who is just a few months old, I held on to her. I’m thankful to God for giving me a second chance.”
His mother, Elena Castro, had nearly lost hope. “I told the Lord, whether he’s alive or dead, just bring him back to me, even if it’s just to see him one last time,” she told TV Peru.
However, his sister refused to give up, encouraging their mother to stay optimistic. “My daughters never lost faith. They kept telling me: ‘Mom, he’ll come back, he’ll come back.’”
A Joyous Reunion
Once back on land, Napa Castro’s daughter, Inés Napa Torres, took to Facebook to express her relief and gratitude.
“THANK YOU ECUADORIAN BROTHERS FOR RESCUING MY DAD. GOD BLESS YOU,” she wrote on March 15, giving special thanks to pilot Wilson of the Ecuadorian patrol team.
Napa Castro was discharged from the hospital on March 16, returning home to his grateful family. His incredible survival stands as a testament to resilience, faith, and the will to live, marking one of the most astonishing survival stories in recent history.
