Story by Caitlin Leng
Two fishermen have been rescued after being adrift in the Pacific clinging to a cool box for five days without food or water.
Daniel Guerrero Martinez, 53, and Jose Luis Portela Villegas, 32, were brought to safety by Mexican Navy personnel on August 19 in waters off the municipality of Tonala, Chiapas, after disappearing on a fishing trip days earlier.
The men, who embarked on the fishing trip from a small town close to Guatemala, ran into trouble after their boat – the Camaronera – sank and they became stranded in the Pacific waters.
The pair, whose last radio contact was recorded on August 14, were able to survive after climbing into a cool box that was onboard their boat, where they took refuge.
After the men failed to return from their trip, a fishing cooperative sent out a distress call saying it had lost contact with them and alerted Mexico’s Navy.
A search operation was subsequently launched involving naval surface units and aircraft operating under a coordinated system using a ship, an interceptor boat and an aircraft, enabling rescuers to extend their search mission across the Pacific.
Boats were also dispatched to replicate the journey the men took in the hopes they could be traced.
Following days of searching, they were located approximately 130 nautical miles, or 240.76kilometres, from the coast of Chiapas.
Two fishermen adrift in the Pacific without food and water for five days have been rescued following an extensive search operation ave been rescued following an extensive search operation
Daniel Guerrero Martinez and Jose Luis Portela Villegas were recovered by Mexican Navy personnel after disappearing on a fishing trip.
The men were able to survive after climbing into a cool box that was onboard their boat, where they took refuge
Naval medical personnel assessed both men before they were transported by helicopter to hospital, where they were treated for severe dehydration
Both men were later reunited with their families in Paredon, a coastal village in Chiapas, Mexico
A Mexican Navy ocean patrol vessel travelled to the area and carried out the rescue, bringing both fishermen aboard.
Footage of the rescue shows the fishermen in open water, leaning against the sides of the blue cool box as they remain afloat.
Naval medical personnel assessed both men before they were transported by helicopter to hospital, where they were treated for severe dehydration.
