Fisherman rescued after 95 days lost at sea reveals unusual way he survived ordeal

Fisherman Maximo Napa Castro, 61, was rescued on Wednesday after being lost at sea for more than three months during which he survived by eating turtles, birds and cockroaches

A fisherman rescued after being lost at sea for 95 days has revealed the unusual way he survived the terrifying ordeal.

Maximo Napa Castro, 61, set off on a fishing boat from the coastal town of Marcona in Peru on December 7, 2024. He packed enough food for a two-week trip, but stormy weather conditions caused his boat to go adrift 10 days after his departure as his supplies had started dwindling.

His family launched a search but the country's maritime patrols were unable to locate him. That was until Wednesday, when the Ecuadorian patrol vessel Don F found the fisherman 1,094km (680 miles) from the coast.

Now Mr Castro, who was dehydrated and in a critical condition when he was rescued, has shared details of how he survived for more than three months in the Pacific Ocean. He said he caught rainwater in his boat and ate whatever he could find - including turtles, birds and cockroaches.

When he was reunited with his brother in Paita, near the Ecuadorian border, on Friday, the fisherman said he spent his last 15 days without food. He told local media that he kept thinking about his family to "hold on" to life as he said: "I said I didn't want to die for my mother. I had a granddaughter who is a few months old, I held on to her. Every day I thought of my mother."

According to Peruvian news agency RPP, Mr Castro was taken to the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes Hospital in Paita for observation before being flown to the Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, the capital of Peru, to be reunited with his family on Saturday.

His daughter Inés Napa Torres thanked the Ecuadorian fishermen for saving her dad;s life, as she wrote on Facebook: "Thank you, Ecuadorian brothers, for rescuing my dad Gatón, God bless you." Over the past three months, the fisherman's family had become increasingly concerned as searches continued but nobody could find Mr Castro.

"Every day is anguish for the whole family and I understand my grandmother's pain because as a mother I understand her (…) 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," his daughter wrote on March 3 on Facebook.

Speaking about getting back to his normal life, Mr Castro told RPP: "Today I ate rice with chicken and beans. I wanted to eat five plates, but I couldn't, so I had to eat just one. My stomach still needs to settle. My mum is going to make me carapulcra, rice with chicken, and sopa seca." He added: "All I want is to hug my mum. [The doctors] have told me I'm fine; I've always eaten well."