Castaway Elvis Francois is attended by Colombian Navy members after he was rescued close to the division of La Guajira, within the excessive north of Colombia. Based on the Navy, the 47-year-old from Dominica stated he had been adrift for twenty-four days within the Caribbean Sea after he was repairing a ship final December close to the island of Sint-Maarten within the Netherlands Antilles.
Colombian Navy press workplace by way of AP
disguise caption
toggle caption
Colombian Navy press workplace by way of AP
Castaway Elvis Francois is attended by Colombian Navy members after he was rescued close to the division of La Guajira, within the excessive north of Colombia. Based on the Navy, the 47-year-old from Dominica stated he had been adrift for twenty-four days within the Caribbean Sea after he was repairing a ship final December close to the island of Sint-Maarten within the Netherlands Antilles.
Colombian Navy press workplace by way of AP
BOGOTA, Colombia — The Colombian navy rescued a person from Dominica who says he survived 24 days adrift within the Caribbean on a sailboat by consuming ketchup, garlic powder and seasoning cubes.
Elvis Francois, 47, had scrawled the phrase “assist” in English on the boat’s hull, which officers stated was key to his rescue.
The sailboat was noticed from the air 120 nautical miles northwest of La Guajira peninsula and Francois was taken to the port metropolis of Cartagena by a passing container ship, the Colombian navy stated in a press release Wednesday.
Francois advised Colombian authorities that his ordeal started in December when currents swept the sailboat out to sea whereas he was making repairs off the island of St. Martin within the Netherlands Antilles, the place he lives.
“I known as my mates, they tried to contact me, however I misplaced the sign. There was nothing else to do however sit and wait,” Francois recalled in a video launched by the navy.
He stated subsisted on a bottle of ketchup, garlic powder and Maggi cubes.
Cmdr. Carlos Urbano Montes advised The Related Press on Thursday that Francois stated he collected rainwater with a fabric. He stated Francois was present in good well being, however advised official he had misplaced weight.
Francois stated on the videotape that he needed to continuously take away water from the boat to forestall it from sinking. He additionally tried to mild a hearth to ship a misery sign with out success.
Lastly, a aircraft handed by and he signaled with a mirror. He stated the navy advised him that he was noticed when the aircraft handed once more.
“In some unspecified time in the future I misplaced hope and considered my household, however I thank the coast guard. If it weren’t for them I would not be telling the story,” Francois stated.
Urbano Montes stated the sailboat was deserted at sea when Francois was picked up by the service provider ship.
The navy stated Francois obtained a medical verify on shore after which was handed over to immigration authorities for his return dwelling to Dominica.
