Maximo Napa – The Peruvian Fisherman Who Survived 95 Days Adrift in the Pacific Ocean

A Peruvian fisherman, Maximo Napa, who spent 95 days lost in the Pacific Ocean, is finally returning home to his family after a harrowing survival ordeal. Napa set out for a fishing trip from Marcona, a town on the southern coast of Peru, on December 7, bringing enough food for two weeks. However, just ten days into his journey, stormy weather caused his boat to drift off course, leaving him adrift in the ocean.

His family initiated a search, but it wasn’t until Wednesday that an Ecuadorian fishing patrol found him approximately 680 miles (1 094 km) off the coast of Peru, severely dehydrated and in critical condition.

“I did not want to die,” Napa recounted to Reuters after reuniting with his brother in Paita, near the Ecuadorian border. He revealed that he survived by eating roaches, birds, and the last thing he consumed was sea turtles.

Throughout his ordeal, he remained strong by thinking of his family, including his two-month-old granddaughter, even as he relied on rainwater collected on the boat and ultimately spent the last 15 days without food.

“I thought about my mother every day,” he said, expressing gratitude for being given a second chance at life. His mother, Elena Castro, shared with local media that while her family remained hopeful, she had begun to lose faith.

“I told the Lord, whether he’s alive or dead, just bring him back to me, even if it’s just to see him,” she said to TV Peru. “But my daughters never lost faith. They kept telling me: Mom, he’ll come back, he’ll come back.”

Napa is set to undergo further medical checks in Paita before heading south to Lima.