Sailor and his dog survive after months adrift in the Pacific Ocean

Published:

Jul 17, 2023 11:38 GMT

The man survived by feeding on raw fish and rainwater, until a helicopter accompanying a ship sighted the vessel in the middle of the ocean and led to his rescue.

An Australian sailor, Tim Shaddock, 51, and his dog were rescued after sailing for three months in the Pacific Ocean, report local media.

The man, from Sydney, Australia, left La Paz, Mexico, bound for French Polynesia in April. After a few weeks the boat suffered some damage to its electrical system due to a storm, for which the man and his pet were left adrift.

“I have had a very difficult ordeal at sea. I just need to rest and eat well because I have been alone at sea for a long time. Otherwise, I am in very good health,” Shaddock said.

the sailor survived by eating raw fish and rainwateruntil a helicopter accompanying a tuna fishing vessel sighted the vessel in the middle of the ocean and led to its rescue.

Likewise, the doctor who treated him stated that the castaway was “stable and very well” and that he had “normal vital signs,” according to 9news.

For his part, ocean rescue expert Mike Tipton assured that finding Shaddock’s vessel in the ocean was “like looking for a needle in a haystack” and indicated that the most important thing in survival is getting fresh water, because of the chances of dehydration.

“It’s very hard to put yourself in that situation when you never know if they’re going to find you,” Tipton said. “It’s a real psychological challenge, to stay positive and carry on, I’m sure Bella [la mascota] helped,” he added.