Two sailors from Zadar, Mario Radulić and Marko Birkić, members of the crew of the tuna trawler “Marielle” in the Pacific Ocean, saved two fishermen who had been floating in a fishing boat for up to 30 days, writes HRT.
In the middle of nowhere, two fishermen in a three-meter-long boat survived by they drank rain water and ate raw fish. In fact, the islanders from the country of Kiribati were exhausted, starving, dehydrated and sunburned, but alive. They spent thirty days at sea because their engine broke down and the current swept them away 300 miles from their of the island of Nonouti.
While searching for fish, the observer on the mast noticed something at a great distance. We turned our course there. When we got closer, we noticed something – two people who were very exhausted and running out of strength – said Mario Radulić, the captain of the ship “Marielle”. They saw one ship on the fourth day after the breakdown, but he did not spot them. Their small boat was too low to be detected by the radar.
We thought we were very close to death, me and my friend in the small boat – said Etuati Rabaere from Kiribati. Fortunately, we were in the right place at the right time. In such bad weather conditions that rule the Pacific, the chances of survival are zero – said Radulić.
Sea wolves believe that they were saved by the fact that it rained for the last 15 days in the Pacific, so it kept them alive. When they got on the deck of the tuna boat, they had to give them water and food little by little. Now they drive them home.
A great achievement for the 21-member crew of the ship Marielle, one Mexican, seven Filipinos, 11 Micronesians and two Croats – from Zadran, captain Marijo Radulić and crew member Marko Birkić.