Peruvian fisherman missing at sea for 95 days rescued and returned home to family

Peruvian fisherman Maximo Napa Castro was rescued after being lost at sea in the Pacific Ocean for 95 days, surviving by eating cockroaches, birds, and turtles. He has safely returned home and reunited with his family, marking a miraculous end to his ordeal.

Napa Castro, 61, set off from the town of Marcona on the southern coast of Peru on December 7th to fish. He carried two weeks' worth of food, but 10 days after departure, bad weather caused his boat to drift off course, eventually leading to his disappearance. His family immediately launched a search, but the Peruvian maritime patrol failed to locate him, leaving them in despair.

On Wednesday, local time, the Ecuadorian fisheries patrol boat "Don F" discovered Napa Castro approximately 1,094 kilometers from the Peruvian coast; he was severely dehydrated and in critical condition. On Friday, Napa told Reuters after reuniting with his brother in Paita, near the Ecuadorian border: "I didn't want to die." He also said, "I ate cockroaches, birds, and finally turtles," showcasing his resilience in the face of extreme adversity.

Napa also stated that even though he sustained himself by collecting rainwater on the boat, his food had run out, but he kept thinking about his family, including his two-month-old granddaughter, which kept him strong. He ended up spending the last 15 days at sea without food, pushing him to his physical and mental limits. "Every day I thought about my mother," Napa said. "All I wanted was my mother's hug. I thank God for giving me a second chance," highlighting the importance of family in his survival.

After being rescued, Napa was transported to Paita aboard the Peruvian Navy ship "BAP Rio Piura" for medical assessment before being flown from the nearby city of Piura to Peru's capital, Lima. Upon arrival at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Napa was reunited with his daughter, Inés Napa, in an emotional scene as the media swarmed around them. Inés Napa told local media that she brought her father a bottle of Peruvian pisco to welcome him home, celebrating his return. Napa's mother, Elena Castro, told local media that although her relatives remained optimistic, she had begun to lose hope, but her prayers were answered. "I told God, whether he was dead or alive, just bring him back to me, even if it's just to see him one last time," she told Peruvian television.

In Napa's hometown, the district of San Andrés in the Ica region of southwestern Peru, the 61-year-old's neighbors and relatives decorated the streets with signs to welcome him home, showing the community's support. Napa's niece, Leyla Torres Napa, said they plan to celebrate his birthday, even though the day had passed while he was lost at sea, making the celebration even more meaningful. "His birthday was special because he only had a small biscuit to eat (at sea), so we attach great importance to the celebration because, for us, he has been reborn," the niece told RPP. "For dinner, we are going to prepare a soup for him because he has to regain his strength; he has not eaten for many days, and his stomach is very weak. Tomorrow, we are going to make him his favorite food – carapulcra (a traditional Andean stew), with duck and rice."