Elvis Francois, 47, said he simply sat and waited for nearly a month, surviving off combining ketchup, garlic powder, and Maggi soup.
A Dominican man was found 120 nautical miles off the coast of Puerto Bolivar, Colombia, after being stranded in the Caribbean sea for 24 days with limited food supplies.
Elvis Francois, 47, was found by the Colombian Navy after being lost at sea since December, according to the authorities.
Francois was on a sailboat near the island of Saint Martin when weather conditions worsened and dragged him out into the water. He was unable to get back to port because he was disoriented and lacked navigation knowledge, the Colombian Navy said.
Francios said he called his friends and coworkers but he lost signal. Knowing he couldn’t do anything else, he sat and waited, according to a video obtained by Última Hora Caracol.
The boat only had ketchup, garlic powder, and Maggi soup, which he combined with water to help make it last long enough for him to be rescued, he said in the video.
Throughout his time at sea, Francois made several unsuccessful attempts to flag down faraway boats, but on Jan. 15, he was able to signal a plane that led to his rescue, he said.
The navy heard about his boat, which had the word “HELP” engraved on its hull, and coordinated with other officials so the lost sailor could be brought to land safely, according to Colombian officials.
The navy said Francois received medical treatment and was brought to Colombia Migration so he can return home.
