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A FISHERMAN from Kiribati who drifted in the central Pacific for nearly four months has been found alive and asking for cigarettes, a Marshall Islands fishing vessel reported Friday.
Toakai Teitoi was healthy but a friend who had sailed with him from Maiana Atoll in the island nation of Kiribati on May 28 had died, fisheries observer Ali Ezekiah said in a radio message from the rescue vessel to an onshore agent.
Teitoi was found on in his 15-metre boat on September 11 by the fishing vessel Marshalls 203 in waters northeast of Nauru.
“When the crew brought him on to the fishing boat and asked him what he wanted, the first thing he said was ‘smoke’”, Ezekiah said as the Marshalls 203 headed back to Majuro. It was due in port at the weekend.
Teitoi told the Marshalls 203 crew his boat had suffered engine trouble and he had survived by eating fish and drinking rainwater. His friend had died on July 4, he said.
The record for drifting at sea is believed to be held by two fishermen, also from Kiribati, who were at sea for 177 days before coming ashore in Samoa in 1992.
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Does anyone else think it’s pretty much a given that he ate his mate?
That’s the first thing I thought anyway.
He probably smoked him first
Hilarious rob, why you got thumbs down for that comment i dont know. I’d a right belly laugh
oh its a given
Good News story for a Friday !
U never the film castaway
Fantastic news.
That would be an extremely tough 4 months though. I can’t imagine what must have gone through his head.
I know how he feels .four months without a cigarette I would not last a week.
“i’m f**ked if this fishing line breaks” had to be one thing. mad story fair play to him…
Wilson! oh no wait, wrong setting
Wilson – Part two.
umbro
Can anyone else see the cogs of Hollywood wheels turning???? Nice story though.
No.
Pretty boring movie, all fishing and ummm sitting around lol except for when he eats his friend
Well I never said it’d be a riveting watch people but if they can make four Step Up movies, two Takens (like to get taken once is unlucky, twice is just reckless!), a Bourne movie without Jason Bourne even in it then frankly, they’re hardly going to let this go without giving it a day out now are they????
Fair point tho I’m not sure what four step up is but to get get taken twice is reckless that’s funny as! I suppose that volleyball ha a movie made of his life too on castaway
Also you can’t trademark sunshine Ireland eimer that’s ridiculous
I think it’d make a great film. It could star Tom Hanks and just to convince people it wasn’t a ridiculously boring film about a man being stranded on his own they could have his friend played by a football and he could have conversa….oh….
Jesus man relax! At least I’ve got my proper name & a photo up, not being rude behind a username & no photo. And if you must know the sunshine is because I used to be nicknamed ‘brightness’ & the ™ is for my thoughts & words.
Hemingway already wrote it
That’s brilliant, delighted for him & his family
4 months? Ha that’s nothing! I have spend 32 years adrift on this damn island!
shocked his first question wasnt “has the new iPhone launched”
How could u possibly think a 15m fishing vessel be easy to spot in the biggest ocean in the world. The Japanese and American navys would spend days sometimes even weeks looking for each others aircraft carriers in wolrd war 2 in the pacific.
Fish and hips !
I don’t believe it. A 15 metre boat would not be hard to spot and those waters are vigorously patrolled.
Obviously not
The central Pacific. The largest ocean on the planet and you think a 15m fishing boat would be picked up easily? Would be like finding a specific grain of sand on a small beach.
Guess again.
There are not busy shipping lanes or large Navy’s in this part of the world.
“I only popped out for matches”
Something fishy bout this story.
Reminds me of this guy:
What a mental tale.
Great story :)
Reminds me of the Life of Pi
See link to shipping in South Pacific
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/
Best part of the film wud be when he try to smoke his friend wonder which part of him he would try to smoke 1st
have your say