Russian man shares ordeal of 66-day sea survival after fishing boat rescue.
A Russian man rescued after drifting at sea for 66 days has spoken from his hospital bed about surviving the incredible ordeal in the Sea of Okhotsk.
Mikhail Pichugin, 46, was pulled from the waters off Kamchatka on Monday by a fishing boat, over two months after his boat trip took a tragic turn.
Pichugin had set out on August 9 with his brother and nephew, but they did not make it. Admitted to a Magadan hospital, the pale but composed survivor offered clues to enduring prolonged isolation.
“With God’s help, how else? If a boat called Angel saved me,” he said, grateful the vessel spotted him. He recounted collecting rainwater and staying warm in a sleeping bag.
Pichugin said his will to live stemmed from his mother and daughter awaiting him at home. Though weighing just 50kg upon rescue, his condition was termed satisfactory. Authorities will fly the Siberian man home and allow relatives to visit, hailing his miraculous survival.
Transport officials have opened a probe as taking necessary communication equipment could have prevented the loss of two lives and Pichugin’s 66-day battle for his own. His incredible story of human endurance continues to stir emotions.
