Lost at sea: the man who vanished for 14 months (2015)
José Salvador Alvarenga, a fisherman from El Salvador, went missing at sea for 14 months after leaving Mexico in November 2012. He survived extreme conditions and loneliness while drifting over 6,700 miles across the Pacific Ocean. Upon his return, he became an international sensation, despite his initial reluctance to share his story.
- ▪Alvarenga was lost at sea for 438 days after a storm hit while he was fishing off the coast of Mexico.
- ▪He battled severe loneliness and hunger during his time adrift, even resorting to eating his own fingernails.
- ▪Upon washing ashore in the Marshall Islands, he became a media sensation, drawing comparisons to the character from the movie Cast Away.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
El Salvador’s castaway José Salvador Alvarenga returns home – video GuardianJosé Salvador Alvarenga This article is more than 10 years oldLost at sea: the man who vanished for 14 monthsThis article is more than 10 years oldIn November 2012, Salvador Alvarenga went fishing off the coast of Mexico. Two days later, a storm hit and he made a desperate SOS. It was the last anyone heard from him – for 438 days. This is his storyJonathan FranklinSat 7 Nov 2015 06.00 ESTLast modified on Fri 15 Jan 2021 05.37 ESTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleAs they motored across the lagoon in the Marshall Islands, deep in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the policemen stared at the specimen laid out on the deck before them. There was no hiding the fact that this man had been at sea for a considerable time.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at the Guardian.
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