A 51-year-old Australian man was lost in his disabled raft for three months at sea. Then he was discovered by chance – along with his dog Bella. He only lived on raw fish and rainwater.
An Australian shipwreck who survived three months at sea in his disabled raft. The electronics on the boat had previously failed due to a storm. The boat drifted across the Pacific Ocean with two of its passengers. According to media reports, the 51-year-old was accidentally discovered by a helicopter a few days ago. Together with his dog Bella, Tim Shaddock ate only raw fish and rainwater.
The rescue doctor was quoted by broadcaster 9News as saying that humans and animals are doing surprisingly well. The 51-year-old was clearly emaciated, but in his right mind.
Accidentally spotted by helicopter
As it has just become known, the duo was discovered last weekend by a fishing trawler whose crew was searching for schools of tuna with a small helicopter. Then the fishermen marked the boat’s course with their boat and took Shaddock and his dog aboard.
The shipwrecked man set sail in April in La Paz, Mexico, originally wanting to sail from there across the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia – thousands of kilometers away.
“Need rest and good food”
Shaddock said the past few months have been “a terrible ordeal”. “I just need rest and good food because I’ve been alone at sea for so long,” he said. Other than that, my health is very good.
Survival expert Mike Tipton said Chadock was very lucky. Finding such a small boat in the ocean is “like finding a needle in a haystack.” The fact that the dog was there may have “helped tremendously” with the long run without human contact, Tipton said. “I think that may have made the difference.”