Peruvian Fisherman Rescued After 94 Days Adrift at Sea

Máximo Napa, 61, survived by eating insects, birds, and a turtle while stranded in the Pacific Ocean without a radio beacon.

Máximo Napa, an experienced Peruvian fisherman, was rescued after spending 94 days adrift in the Pacific Ocean following engine failure on his small fishing boat.
The fisherman departed from San Juan de Marcona, Peru, on December 7, 2024, but adverse weather and strong currents caused him to drift far from his intended route.
Without a radio beacon, Napa survived by rationing his initial supplies of rice and biscuits, collecting rainwater, and eventually eating cockroaches, birds, and a turtle to stay alive.
He was discovered on March 11, 2025, by an Ecuadorian tuna vessel approximately 388 nautical miles from Chimbote, Peru, after birds circling his boat drew the crew's attention.
Napa has since been reunited with his family, expressing gratitude for his survival and attributing his will to live to thoughts of his mother and two-month-old granddaughter.