REAL LIFE

Castaway survives for 24 days eating stock cubes, ketchup and garlic, the incredible story of Elvis François

The Colombian Navy rescued a shipwrecked Dominica-citizen who said he survived 24 days adrift in the Caribbean on a sailboat eating stock cubes, ketchup and garlic powder.

To hydrate himself, the man said he had collected rainwater in a sail. He described his ordeal, saying, "24 days, no land... No one to talk to."

The odyssey began by chance. While he was carrying out repairs on his sailboat on the island of St. Martin.

photo screenshot video @ArmadaColombia
We are in the de La Guajira peninsula (Colombia)
The Colombian Navy rescued a castaway, a citizen of Dominica, who said he survived for 24 days adrift in the Caribbean on a sailboat eating stock cubes, ketchup and garlic powder. To report the incredible story of Elvis François, 47 years old, is the Guardian thanks also to the story of theArmada de Colombia who performed the rescue.
photo screenshot video @ArmadaColombia
But what happened?
Elvis François 's odyssey  began by chance. While he was carrying out repairs on his sailboat on the island of St. Martin, in the Netherlands Antilles.  A sudden change in weather dragged him into the middle of the sea. He found himself adrift on the ocean without the possibility of using the boat. Elvis tried to call for help with his cell phone but by then he had lost signal due to the distance from the coast.  To hydrate himself, the man said he had collected rainwater from a sail. 
photo screenshot video @ArmadaColombia
Rescue thanks to a mirror and a plane
Elvis managed to get noticed in the middle of the sea thanks to the word "help" scribbled on the sailboat. Then, when he heard a plane pass over him, he used a mirror to signal his presence to the pilot, who turned to take a closer look and noticed Elvis's desperate message.  
photo screenshot video @ArmadaColombia
Happy ending
Once sighted they located it 120 nautical miles northwest of the La GuajiraPeninsula, Colombia, and Francois was brought to the port city of Cartagena by a passing container ship. TheArmada de Colombia then gave him medical assistance. 
photo screenshot video @ArmadaColombia
The conditions of Elvis
As reported by the Guardian rescuers reported finding the shipwrecked in good health  Ketchup, garlic powder and cubes of stock cubes kept him alive. Elvis has clearly lost a lot of weight. "24 days, no land ... No one to talk to. I don't know what to do. I don't know where you are... It was difficult," said sailor Elvis.
Informativa ai sensi della Direttiva 2009/136/CE: questo sito utilizza solo cookie tecnici necessari alla navigazione da parte dell'utente in assenza dei quali il sito non potrebbe funzionare correttamente.