A Peruvian fisherman who was lost at sea for 95 days has revealed the incredible lengths he went to in order to stay alive.
Máximo Napa Castro, 61, set out on a fishing trip from Marcona, a coastal town in southern Peru, on December 7. He had packed enough supplies for two weeks, but just ten days into the journey, stormy weather sent his boat off course, leaving him adrift in the vast Pacific Ocean.
According to Mail Online, Napa’s family launched a desperate search, but Peru’s maritime patrols were unable to locate him. It wasn’t until last Wednesday that an Ecuadorian fishing vessel discovered him 680 miles off the coast, severely dehydrated and in critical condition.
“I did not want to die,” Napa said in a tearful interview after reuniting with his brother in Paita, near the Ecuadorian border.
To survive, he resorted to eating anything he could find. “I ate roaches and birds—the last thing I ate was turtles,” he recounted.
He managed to collect rainwater for drinking but eventually ran out of food, surviving the final 15 days without eating. He said thoughts of his family, especially his two-month-old granddaughter, kept him going.
“I held on for my granddaughter. Every day, I thought of my mother,” he shared. “I’m thankful to God for giving me a second chance.”
Family’s Hope and Emotional Reunion
His mother, Elena Castro, admitted she had begun to lose hope, though her family remained optimistic.
“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’s daughter, Inés Napa Torres, expressed her deep gratitude to the Ecuadorian fishermen who saved her father.
“It is a miracle that my father has been found,” she told RPP Radio. “We, as a family, never gave up hope of finding him.”
She also shared an emotional tribute on Facebook: “Thank you, Ecuadorian brothers, for rescuing my dad. God bless you.”
Just a week before his rescue, she had posted: “Every day has been anguish for our whole family. I understand my grandmother’s pain because, as a mother, I feel it too. We never thought we’d go through this, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. We will not lose hope, Dad.”
Medical Checkup and Recovery
Following his rescue, Napa was taken to Hospital Nuestra Señora in Paita for medical evaluations before being discharged on Saturday. He then traveled to the capital, Lima, to reunite with more family members.
Despite his ordeal, his physical condition was surprisingly stable.
“Mr. Napa arrived in good condition. He could walk and take care of himself. He was shocked, but physically well,” said Jorge González, a Peruvian navy port captain.
Napa’s miraculous survival is now being hailed as a testament to human resilience, faith, and the power of hope.
