shipwreck survivors alive after 6 months at sea
SYDNEY,Australia-Two Sammon fishermen survived six months adrift on the Pacific Ocean in a small metal boat.
They survived on rainwater,small fish,and some birds.
The men had originally setoff to fish in the waters off Samoa.
A huge load of fish pulled down their seven meter boat,and it ended upside down.
the men managed to cut the fishing line, to turn over the boat,and to get into it.
they had to take off the two outboard motors to eliminate weight in the process. So they were left powerless as currents pushed them out into the open ocean. Somehow, as they drifted for days and then months, they missed landing on any of the islands between Samoa and Papua New Guinea. When they were close to Fiji, they sent up some flares that were on board, but nobody came out to rescue them. The men said they also saw several ships pass by, but the ships just went on. the survivors were finally picked up by a fishing boat in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. The men were pretty run down when they were found. one was not able to stand up, and the other could barely walk. both had lost a lot of weight. they had also suffered from exposure to the sun and dehydration Still it was amazing that they had survived considering the great ordeal they had gone through.