Rescue Operation Saves 5 Fishermen who were Lost at Sea for 55 Days in the Pacific Ocean

Last week, the Ecuadorian navy rescued five fishermen who had been missing since mid-March. They managed to survive 55 days drifting in the Pacific Ocean by consuming rainwater and seawater.

These fishermen, three from Peru and two from Colombia, were discovered on May 7 by an Ecuadorian tuna vessel named Aldo. According to the navy, the fishermen mentioned encountering difficulties with their boat’s alternator just two days after departing from Pucusana Bay, located south of Lima, Peru’s capital.

Ecuadorian navy Frigate Captain Maria Fares informed The Associated Press that the malfunction of the alternator resulted in a breakdown of communication and navigation instruments.

“They had no starter, lights and everything that a battery generates,” she said. To survive, they had to “take rusted water out of the engine (and) when a fish passed by, they caught it and parboiled it to eat.” 

Fares added that they also drank rain and seawater to survive.

A soldier checks the vitals of one of five shipwrecked fishermen. (Ecuadorean Navy via AP)

The men are in stable condition and the navy said it is coordinating with local and foreign authorities to ensure their safe return to their respective countries.

This government handout photo shows five shipwrecked fishermen wearing life jackets, who were rescued by an Ecuadorian tuna fishing boat after being adrift for more than 50 days, at the San Cristobal Naval Base, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Ecuadorean Navy via AP)

Earlier this year, another Peruvian fisherman was found alive after spending 95 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean, saying he survived on roaches, birds and sea turtles.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.