The inhabitants of the Marshall Islands found an emaciated wanderer in one of the most remote atolls: the strange man spoke only Spanish and gave the impression of being completely insane. But the reality turned out to be even more unusual than the uneducated villagers could imagine. Jose Salvador Alvarenga spent 14 months at sea - and returned to his family alive. We decided to find out how it began and how its history developed.
The beginning of the way
37-year-old resident of El Salvador, Jose Alvarenga went to sea for a regular day fishing. He was accompanied by a young guy who had recently started fishing. This story ended after a whole year - a year that cost one of its participants life, and the second - family and sanity.
Storm
Suddenly a storm arose and carried the fishing boat tens of kilometers from the coast. The radio stopped responding and the fishermen have already resigned themselves to their fate. According to the owner of the boat, he sent a search expedition two days after the incident - so as not to risk the pilot as well. And for both fishermen a long stage of the struggle for life began, which even the most experienced survivalist could not have endured.
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Food stocks
The men were out of luck: the storm washed away all supplies of fresh water and food from the deck. For several months they ate raw fish and caught turtles, and made up for the lack of water with the blood of birds and even their own urine. It is noteworthy that the famous traveler, Fedor Konyukhov, commented on this situation as impossible: according to the traveler, it is simply incredible to survive in the ocean without a desalination plant.
Death of the Wanderer
The teenager broke down first. Alvarenga himself claims that he lost track of time for a long time and therefore does not know exactly when his partner died. The corpse, according to his own statement, was forced to throw into the sea - so as not to go crazy. This version had to be taken on faith, although doctors assure that Jose Alvarenga was in too good condition for a person who spent so much time in the open ocean. The fisherman did not even get sick with scurvy, which means he had the opportunity to receive all the substances necessary to maintain the body. The easiest way to get them was through cannibalism. The fisherman, of course, completely denies these charges.
The rescue
Alvarenga was helped by chance. The fragile ship was thrown into one of the Marshall Islands, where it was quickly discovered by local residents. Judging by the words of the wanderer, his journey lasted as much as 14 months - which is indirectly confirmed by the distance traveled and the condition of the boat.
Alternative version
The village of Garita Palmera, the birthplace of the famous fisherman, is in no hurry to welcome its missing resident. Local authorities assure the authorities: Jose Alvarenga has been involved in drug smuggling all his life, and he took the young guy sailing only as a cover. The country's authorities have already checked both versions several times, but could not find any evidence of Jose's criminal activities.
