A Peruvian fisherman who survived 95 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean, relying on roaches, birds, and sea turtles for sustenance, has finally returned home to his family.
Maximo Napa embarked on a fishing trip from Marcona, a town on Peru’s southern coast, on December 7. He had packed enough food for a two-week journey, but just ten days in, a storm threw his boat off course, leaving him stranded in the vast Pacific Ocean.
His family launched a search, but Peruvian maritime patrols were unable to locate him. It wasn’t until Wednesday that an Ecuadorian fishing patrol discovered him 680 miles (1,094 km) off Ecuador’s coast, in critical condition and suffering from severe dehydration.
“I did not want to die,” Napa told Reuters after an emotional reunion with his brother in Paita, near Ecuador’s border. “I ate roaches, birds… the last thing I ate was turtles.”
He credited his survival to thoughts of his family, including his two-month-old granddaughter, which kept him going despite having to rely on rainwater and enduring 15 days without food.
“I thought about my mother every day,” he said. “I’m thankful to God for giving me a second chance.”
His mother, Elena Castro, shared her emotional struggle with local media, explaining that while her family remained hopeful, she had begun to lose faith.
“I told the Lord, whether he’s alive or dead, just bring him back to me, even if it’s just to see him,” she told TV Peru. “But my daughters never lost faith. They kept telling me: Mom, he’ll come back, he’ll come back.”
Napa was scheduled to undergo further medical examinations in Paita before traveling south to Lima.
